In the days leading up to school reopening, the faculty members and Old Students Association (OSA) of Sree Rama Varma High School in the city were busy reaching out to students who had passed out from other upper primary schools, and their parents.
In fact, pulling out all stops for checking the alarming fall in admissions for many years now, the school has offered a slew of freebies during this academic year for improving the enrolment rate. But into the second week of the new academic year, even those free perks – uniforms, books, lunch, Kochi metro rides and coaching in various sports - seem to have done little to change the fortune as new admissions to eighth standard stood at an abysmal 20. In ninth standard, there are 24 and in tenth standard just 19 students.
For a school dating back 177 years, and had in its heydays boasted in excess of ten divisions of 40-50 students for each standard, and churned out brilliant students who went on to do the school and the country proud in various walks of life, it has been a disastrous fall from grace despite having a good set of faculties.
“In those days, there weren’t as many schools around as now. Besides, the residential areas around the school have also gone almost extinct and have been largely replaced by apartments, the residents of which would rather send their children to private or CBSE schools. It may take time for that trend to change,” lamented Radhika C., principal, SRV High School.
The absence of non-curricular activities like National Cadet Corps (NCC), Student Police Cadets, etc., has added to the woes. Resumption of such activities may require the school to have a minimum number of students.
The story is no different in the lower primary and upper primary sections either, with 22 and 40 students respectively. “The drop in students started since the 2000s. The school was closed to girls previously, and this could have probably been a reason as well. We have started admitting girls from this year. However, we so far have only a single girl in the sixth standard since the order approving admission of girls got issued only on May 30,” said Madhuri K.S., headmistress of SRV UP School. Efforts are on to throw open the high school to girls as well.
While the lower primary section can accommodate two divisions each of up to 30 students, there have never been enough students of late.
OSA has been extending all possible assistance to the school from free school accessories and conveyance to sports coaching. “Our primary focus in on arranging conveyance for students. We are also looking at the possibility of arranging students from other schools with excess students. We have also made arrangements for giving all students special nutritious food once every month,” said C. Raveendran, a member of the school development committee and an active member of OSA.
The association has also formed a sports development committee to woo students with free coaching in cricket, football, badminton, and basketball. While the badminton and basketball courts are about to be revived, steps are also being taken to put up a net for cricket practice. Talks are also on with Maharajas College authorities to make available the ground for football coaching.
Published - June 07, 2022 01:29 am IST
