In a promising development for the education sector, government schools have experienced a substantial increase in pre-primary and primary enrolment in comparison to previous years.
According to data compiled by the state’s Education Department, there has been a remarkable rise of 16.3 per cent in enrolment for pre-primary-I and a noteworthy 9.9 per cent increase in pre-primary-II compared to the last academic session.
The statistics for the academic session 2022-23 showed that 1.7 lakh students were enrolled in pre-primary-I. However, this number surged to an impressive 1.98 lakh for the session 2023-24. Similarly, pre-primary-II witnessed a considerable increase, with 3.48 lakh students enrolled in the last academic session, and for 2023-24, the enrolment reached an even higher figure of 3.82 lakh. Additionally, there was a notable 4 per cent rise in enrolment for primary classes (I to V).
The government initiated the Mission Enrollment campaign right from the beginning of the session, with a special emphasis on districts where enrolment in pre-primary classes was considerably low.
Department officials attribute the significant jump in enrolment to the success of this campaign. For example, Tarn Taran district experienced a remarkable 25.8 per cent increase, Mansa witnessed a notable rise of 24.7 per cent, Pathankot saw a 23 per cent increase, Hoshiarpur recorded a growth of 21.9 per cent, Kapurthala saw a rise of 20.5 per cent, and Ferozepur registered a commendable 20.3 per cent increase in pre-primary-I enrolment.
In light of these encouraging developments, the Education Minister, Harjot Bains, expressed the government’s commitment to ensure every child’s access to quality education. He also mentioned that efforts made by teachers to boost enrolment will be duly recognized and rewarded in the coming days.
This surge in student enrolment for primary classes reflects a positive trend in the state’s education landscape, fostering hope for a brighter future and a well-educated generation. As the government continues its efforts to provide top-class education, it reaffirms its dedication to creating a more inclusive and prosperous society.
