In Kerala, the enrollment of children aged 6 to 14 years in government schools has significantly decreased from 64.5% in 2022 to just 44.5% in 2024. This information comes from the recent “Annual Status of Education Report” (ASER), a national-level survey conducted by a non-governmental organization (NGO). The survey evaluates the enrollment status and basic literacy and numeracy skills of children aged 3 to 16 years.
In This Article:
Decline in Enrollment in Class 1:
According to the Kerala General Education Department, the number of students enrolled in government schools for Class 1 in the academic year 2024-25 decreased by 6,928 compared to 2023-24. Education Minister V. Sivankutty shared this data in the Assembly in 2024. In 2023-24, 99,566 students were enrolled in Class 1, but in 2024-25, this number dropped to 92,638.
Enrollment Decline in the 15-16 Age Group:
The enrollment rate of 15-16-year-olds in schools has also declined. In 2018, 0.9% of children in the 15-16 age group were enrolled in school, but by 2024, this had dropped to just 0.3%. This decrease has prompted the Kerala State Child Rights Commission to request a report from the state government on the declining student enrollment, even as the state’s educational infrastructure has improved significantly.
Reasons for the Decline in Enrollment:
The state government has attributed the decline in enrollment to the decreasing birth rate. Education Minister V. Sivankutty stated that the reduction in Class 1 enrollment reflects a general decrease in the state’s population. However, he clarified that the decrease in Class 1 enrollment does not imply a reduction in the number of students in other classes. In fact, the enrollment in Classes 2 to 10 has increased.
The Impact of Low Birth Rates:
Minister Sivankutty explained that the students enrolled in Class 1 this year were born in 2019. In 2009, Kerala recorded 5.5 lakh births, whereas in 2019, this number had fallen to 4.8 lakh. Over the course of a decade, 78,000 fewer children were born each year, which is directly affecting the enrollment in Class 1.
Concerns for the Future:
While the decline in enrollment is attributed to the decreasing birth rate, this trend raises serious concerns for the education sector. If this trend continues, it could pose challenges for the state’s education system. Moreover, the decrease in government school enrollment may lead to an increase in private school enrollments, which could affect the quality and equality of education.
Infrastructure Development and Decreasing Enrollment:
Despite continuous improvements in educational infrastructure and the addition of new facilities, the declining number of students remains a concern for the state. This raises the question of whether, despite improvements in infrastructure, the decline in enrollment can be reversed. The state government will need to ensure that, despite the decline in enrollment, quality education is provided to all students, ensuring equal opportunities for every child.
While the Kerala government believes that the decline in enrollment is due to the decreasing birth rate, it is crucial that the government focuses on increasing enrollment alongside strengthening educational infrastructure. Maintaining the quality of government schools and increasing student enrollment will be key to the sustainability of the state’s education sector in the future.
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