Campaign launched to boost enrolment in govt, aided schools

The District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, and district, block and grama panchayats have launched a joint campaign to enhance intake in government and aided schools.

The campaign, titled Varavelpu, was conceived under the ongoing ‘save public education’ initiative of the State government, DIET principal K. Radhakrishnan noted in a statement.

The aim is to ensure that all students in rural areas join only government or aided schools in the neighbourhood.

The help of elected representatives, socio-cultural activists, and voluntary organisations will be sought for the purpose. Admissions are to be conducted to pre-school, Class 1, Class 5 and Plus Two classes.

The campaign will have three phases. In the first phase, from April 25 to May 5, MLAs and elected representatives of local bodies will visit houses and hand over admission forms to parents. Education activists, Kudumbasree volunteers, local clubs, and representatives of parent-teacher associations too will be roped in. Exhibitions and cultural programmes will be organised, and children will be given crayons and drawing materials.

Local cultural practices should be incorporated in jathas and flash mobs in the second phase from May 5 to May 10, the statement said. The third phase, from May 10 to May 20, will be to welcome new students and parents to schools.

Local elected representatives and prominent citizens can take the lead in welcoming them at public functions to be organised on school premises, it added.