Auto drivers, rickshaw-pullers being roped in to boost door-to-door enrolment drive

Ajay Joshi

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, April 18

The Education Department is apparently leaving no stone unturned to accelerate the enrolment drive in government schools. While teachers are afraid of conducting door-to-door enrolment campaigning amid the surge in Covid-19 cases, the district Education Department has innovated various means to not only prevent teachers from contracting the virus but only to continue with it.

To motivate teachers to bring more students to government schools, now auto-rickshaw drivers and rickshaw pullers have been roped in to intensify door-to-door campaigning to improve enrolment in the district. The three-wheelers move from villages to villages making local residents aware of the changed picture of government schools. Government school teachers sitting in auto-rickshaws approach villagers and persuade them to send their wards to government smart schools.

Pre-recorded announcements through rickshaw-pullers and religious institutions are also helping teachers to bring in more students for enrolment in their schools.

Though the bottom line is to increase student strength in government schools, the drive is helping change the perception of education in government schools.

Amandeep Kondal, a physical education lecturer at Government Senior Secondary School, Punia, Shahkot, said, “It has been nearly a month since he and other staff members of his school were conducting door-to-door campaigning for enrolment.

“Considering the surge in Covid cases, students and their parents are not advised to visit schools and the admission process is being completed on their doors only. Only a copy of Aadhaar card of the student and consent from the parents is required for admission. Those parents who cannot afford hefty fees of private schools also enquire about the prospectus of our school,” added Kondal.

Rajwinder Kaur, a teacher from Government Elementary School, Dhakwala, Tarn Taran, says parents are now sending their wards to government schools as teachers assure them of imparting quality education to their children. Besides, we inform them about the latest techniques being used in schools, including audio-visual aids, projectors, online wed, Punjab Educare app, etc. “Furnished rooms, colourful school walls, perfectly designed school gates impress both teachers and students. We show them through flexes and posters,” added Rajwinder Kaur.

District Education Officer Harinderpal Singh said the innovations in enrolment campaign were being introduced to highlight teaching techniques, activity based learning, sports and others. We try that the virus does not hamper the enrolment drive. Till last month, announcements at bus stands, nukkad nataks, skits and flexes installed at public places were used to encourage local residents to send their children to government schools.