SRINAGAR: Private schools have enrolled more than 40 per cent of students in Jammu and Kashmir, a survey has said, and predicted that government-sponsored education is fast losing out to be an option across the country.
The states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Goa and Meghalaya are on the same level as J-K, but Kerala and Manipur were ahead with more than 60 percent youngsters studying in private schools, the Asian Age reported.
The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) for rural areas 2012 has revealed that the rate of growth in private school-enrollment in the country has “increased by nearly 10 percent per year” in the last three years, during which the Right to Education Act has been in effect.
The report revealed that enrollment between 6 and 14 age group in private schools rose from 18.7 per cent in 2006 to 28.3 per cent in 2012 in all states.
The report also predicts that by 2018, India may have 50 per cent children attending private schools, even in rural areas.
The RTE provides for the right to free and compulsory elementary education for all children between the ages of 6 and 14 without having to bear any costs at all; at any neigbourhood government-school or a private institution supported by the government.
But J-K, which has its own constitution is yet to form such a law.
Worrying
The good news in the ASER is that enrollment levels for 6-14 years group continues to be very high in rural India in 2012 at 96.5 per cent.
But analysts say, the report is worrying as it reveals the state of education in government institutions.
The ASER says that nationally the proportion of children in the same age group who are “not enrolled in schools has gone up slightly from 3.3 per cent in 2011 to 3.5 per cent this year”, the reasons for which have not been mentioned by Asian Age.
This disappointing increase is largest for girls in 11-14 years of age group from 5.2 per cent to 6 per cent in 2012.
Whether enrolled in private or government schools, about 25 percent of all children in the elementary grades also paid private tutors, the report said.
