Academic year 2023 has yet to come to a close and some schools are already seeing an overwhelming number of applications for admission for the next academic year. The Phuentshogling Thromde and school officials in Phuentshogling are overwhelmed by an increasing number of children seeking admissions in Pre-Primary, PP. With only two primary schools in the thromde, more than eighty children who registered online could not get admission. The number is further expected to increase as officials say that online registration may not include many illiterate parents wanting to seek admission.
Until last year, all four schools in Phuentshogling Thromde had Pre-Primary classes.
However, with education reformation and segregation, only two schools have primary classes now.
With an overwhelming number of students seeking admission in class PP for the next academic year, many children could not get admission.
Sonamgang Primary School received about 130 applicants online of which they could accept only about 105 students.
The school is taking three PP sections with 35 children each.
Similarly, the Phuentshogling Primary School received over 200 applications of which the school could take only 175 students. The Phuentshogling Primary School has five sections for class PP.
“It seems like the number of children for PP admission has increased so much this year. It must be due to rural-urban migration. There is no way that we leave behind those who don’t get the seat because their parents are working here. But again, we cannot enroll all because it will be difficult for the teachers thereby affecting the education quality,” said Uttar Kumar Rai, Phuentshogling Thrompon.
Officials say the number of applications might increase again as the current numbers do not include parents who could not apply online. They added the parents either didn’t know how to apply or they were unaware of online applications.
Officials are worried that they may not be able to accommodate all the students within a short period.
“We had proposed for the construction of new schools in Phuentshogling in the 11th Five-Year Plan and the 12th Five-year Plan. But it did not happen and now we are bearing the consequences. The local government alone cannot solve this issue. That’s why we proposed the need to build schools in Pekarzhing and Pasakha,” said Uttar Kumar Rai, Phuentshogling Thrompon.
With no other alternatives, the Phuentshogling Thromde says the only option now is to accommodate PP classes in an old structure which was previously used by the then Phuentsogling Middle Secondary School to accommodate PP students before it was upgraded to high school. However, the Thrompon says this option will only be possible if the Thromde receives budget to carry out renovations and install basic facilities at the old structure.
The Thrompon added that the two primary schools have neither the area nor the possibility to extend classrooms. He says this is because they have already taken these measures in the previous years with the Thromde seeing an increasing number of new admissions every year.
The school principals and Thromde officials recently held a meeting on the issue and they will be sending a letter to the education ministry.
Kinley Dem, Phuentshogling
Edited by Phub Gyem
