Fourteen government schools in Hassan back in business after migrants enrol kids

HASSAN: Now that they are back home, people from Hassan district, who had migrated to Bengaluru and cities in other states for work reasons, are now enrolling their children in government schools. As a result, at least 14 lower primary schools, which had closed due to lack of students, are now back in business with 121 admissions. Four of the schools are in Holenarsipur taluk.
“Although admissions closed on September 30, the process is continuing since we are trying to find out details of why students were not promoted or why they dropped out. There are a total 2,14,000 students studying from class 1 to 10 in Hassan district in all aided and unaided schools,” said KS Prakash, DDPI.
Prakash said parents of students were forced to return to their hometowns following the lockdown and many cannot afford private school fees. “They are enrolling their children in government schools nearby,” he said. Asked about the condition of school buildings, Prakash said, “All the schools were closed one to three years ago. There is no danger to students’ safety.”
Dharmesh, district president, Centre of Indian Trade Unions, said, “The irony is that there is a spike in admissions to government schools in a country where education in a private school is much sought after. But that’s the effect of the lockdown, which was neither scientific nor well planned. People’s livelihoods have been badly affected.”