Schools start admission process

COIMBATORE: Government, government-aided, and corporation schools in the district on Monday saw parents queueing up for admitting their children in classes I, VI, and IX.
Admission started at government schools, which comprises 777 primary schools, 235 middle schools, 85 high schools and 108 higher secondary schools. Apart from these, 176 government-aided schools, 285 matriculation schools and 11 self-financing schools also started the process.
At the corporation higher secondary school in Venkatapuram, headmaster A Thangarajan said more than 20 students completed admission by noon.“We admitted and handed over textbooks, notebooks and bag to those who came with transfer certificate. Students from an elementary school in the locality come here for admission,” he said.
A parent, who had come to admit her son in Class I, said she produced his birth certificate and Aadhaar card. “It was a simple procedure. We were given books, notebooks and a bag,” she said, holding a dark blue bag.
At the panchayat union elementary school at Ashokapuram, parents who had come for admission from Class I were seen walking away with books. Those who had come to admit their wards in classes VI and above were seen getting application forms, TC and other documents ready.
Many parents are pulling out their children from private schools and putting them in government and corporation schools as they have been hit by the lockdown and couldn’t afford fees, a headmaster said. “Four parents had taken their children out of private schools on the Thadagam Road and approached us for admission,” said the headmaster of Venkatapuram corporation higher secondary school.
Teachers involved in the admission process said they sensed an increased demand for admission in government and aided schools. “On Monday, 40 parents came for admission, each in Class VI and Class IX. This year, more parents might choose government schools,” said T Arulanandam, a government-aided schoolteacher and the state auditor of the Tamil Nadu High and Higher Secondary School Graduate Teacher Association. Teachers said they would complete admission process for classes I, VI, and IX this week.
Meanwhile, some government-aided schools in the city held tests to admit students in Class VI. A parent, who had come to admit her daughter at a government-aided school on the Bharathi Park Road, said her child had to undertake a test. Teachers forums raised concerns about this as aided schools were not supposed to hold entrance tests for admission.
Government and aided schools should not conduct tests for admission as per the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, said chief educational officer P Usha. She said she will look into the issue.
The state government has directed schools to begin admission for Class XI from August 24.