Admissions to Chennai Corporation schools cross 1 lakh

CHENNAI: In just over a month after it opened, admissions to Corporation schools crossed one lakh on Thursday, for the first time in ten years. Confirming the development, Deputy Commissioner (Education), D Sneha, told Express that this was the highest enrolment since 2011.

According to Corporation officials, the admissions were usually, on an average, around 83,000-90,000. This year, the admissions are expected to go up even further than the one lakh-mark since it will remain open until the end of September. Admissions opened on June 14.

Express had reported earlier that apart from improving infrastructure in Corporation schools, depleted savings due to the pandemic have led parents from financially-backward sections turning to Corporation schools this year. Parents, who used to send their children to private schools, often considered to be providers of education of a ‘better quality’, are no longer able to afford them with one or both of them losing their regular income in several families.

Officials said that when parents came to collect dry rations that the school provides for students, teachers had the chance to interact with them and convince them that Corporation schools was a good option for their children’s future education. “Our facilities are on par with private schools,” said R Bharathidasan, Corporation Education Officer. Corporation school students are also offered various options of higher education scholarships, up to Rs 45,000 a year.