BHOPAL: The government’s primary education system seems to be having few takers in Madhya Pradesh. In as many as 5501 schools, zero enrollment of students has been reported in Class I standard.According to the latest statistics (as of September 13, 2024) regarding the enrolment of students in Class I in government schools, 5501 schools (which were 7% of the total 78,542 schools having primary sections) reported zero student enrollment for the 2024-25 academic session.Surprisingly, the Narsinghpur district, which is the home district of state’s school education minister Rao Udai Pratap Singh’s home district Narsinghpur is among the five top districts which have maximum number of schools with zero student enrolment in Class I has been reported in the new academic session.While tribal dominated Seoni district in Jabalpur region had highest 425 such schools, Satna district of Vindhya region had 303 such schools followed by the school education minister’s home district Narsinghpur with 299 such schools, western MP’s Khargone district with 287 such schools and another tribal dominated Betul district with 265 such schools.Each of the total 19531 schools in the state reported enrolment of 1-2 students in Class I, while each of total of 25032 schools (32%) reported enrolment of 0-2 students in the same entry level class.Further, 23,466 or 30% of schools (each of them) reported enrolment of 3-5 students in Class I, followed by 18,699 or 23% of schools, each of which reported enrolment of six to ten students in Class I.A total of 11,345 or just 14% of schools across the state (each one of them) reported enrolment of more than 10 students in Class I.Expressing shock over the government statistics, the opposition Congress’s state spokesperson Bhupendra Gupta said, “these latest figures expose how the education system in the state has been ruined during the nearly two decades of BJP rule in the state. Still, this state government claims that the state is functioning smoothly.”The state’s school education minister Rao Udai Pratap Singh, however, claimed that the low student enrolment numbers in Class I in government schools is because government schools don’t have provision for nursery classes. Owing to this more little ones are being admitted in private schools and continuing there.“We’ll soon go for a drive to ensure that all those kids who complete six years by September 30, 2024, are enrolled in Class I of the government schools. The drive will have the participation of all concerned, including the gram rozgar sahayaks (GRS) and secretary of every village panchayat and all teachers in every village,” Singh said.
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