Students of higher classes prefer to join private schools

Kakinada (Kakinada district): With 35 per cent of SSC students failing in the public examination in Kakinada district, many students have been expressing their reluctance to continue or join in government schools.

According to sources, the increase of students under Amma Vodi scheme has been one of the factors for the failure of the students as there was no balance in the student-teacher ratio and this has led to the poor pass percentage in the government schools.

Under the Nadu-Nedu programme, in some schools, infrastructure facilities have been improved. But sadly, teachers have not been recruited to match the strength of the students to ensure effective instruction. Hence, many students are reluctant to join the government schools in view of the lack of subject teachers. Now many students studying 8,9 and 10 classes in the government schools in the district are leaving them and joining private schools for better instruction in the subjects.

Parents are also confident of good results for their wards, if they pursue education in private schools. Though the fee has been increased from 5 to 10 per cent, still parents opt for private schools because of effective and qualitative education.

A parent G Padma Sri told The Hans India that with great difficulty she secured a seat for her son in the government school, Kakinada. But he failed in the SSC examination. She regrets having admitted her son in the government school which caused the loss of one academic year.

Andhra Pradesh Private School Association Kakinada district president M Srivijay told The Hans India that the failure in the government schools is due to the diversion of concentration of teachers on mobile phones for uploading information to the officials and also due to lack of adequate subject teachers in the State.

Moreover, the districts have no full time DEOs in the State, but are filled with in-charge DEOs who are unable to pay full attention and monitor the functioning of the teachers in the schools. Srivijay said that the DSC-2018 teachers have not been appointed in the existing vacancies. He stated that owing to 35 per cent of failure in SSC examination, 40 per cent of the students are seeking admission in private schools. Despite the rise in fee in private schools, parents prefer private schools as they opine that their wards will be provided better knowledge of the subjects through effective teaching.

Srivijay said that the confidence in the private schools has increased and more students are opting for private schools. Moreover, they are also submitting the details of the collection of the fees from the students to the government.

District Education Officer (DEO) Subhadra attributed the decrease in pass percentage of students in SSC examination to the continuous absence of the students from the classes in view of the Covid-19. Speaking to The Hans India, she pointed out that 65 per cent of students secured pass percentage and 35 per cent failed in the recent SSC examinations.

However, for those who failed in the SSC exam remedial classes are being conducted from Monday in the district. She said that remedial classes are conducted for 17,000 students from 8 am to 12 noon in the subjects Maths, Science and English. She said that besides teachers the HMs also should be present during the periods of remedial classes. She also stated that schools will reopen from July 4.

DEO Subhadra said that all the teachers will attend schools from June 28 onwards. She said that steps are being taken to check the fall in number of admissions. She said that all infrastructure facilities are also provided.