While the academic session of the schools in the country has just begun, schools in the capital, Thimphu are facing admission crunch. The number of students seeking admissions far exceeds the number of seats available in these schools.
School principals, therefore, say admissions will be limited to the schools’ classroom accommodation capacity.
Loselling Middle secondary school in Thimphu is one of the schools facing admission crunch. Hundreds of students, along with their parents and relatives, are seen lined up at the school admission office.
While some are seeking internal transfer, others came for new admission.Most of the parents said, having a teacher in the family or knowing one, has become essential to get an admission.
Meanwhile, the Principal of Loselling Middle Secondary School, Sonam Phuntsho, said the school allots the available seats based on the nature of cases. He said a student is given first preference if the parents were transferred to Thimphu from other Dzongkhags.
He further added, with the application of merging of classes, the problem might ease in the 11th Five Year Plan.
Meanwhile, schools located in the rural pockets of the country are facing acute shortage of students. Most of the classrooms remain with none or very few students. Rural-urban migration and better education facilities in urban centres are few factors attributing this problem.
