-Dipta Joshi

In Maharashtra, new student enrolments in schools dropped by 5.42 lakh during the academic year 2020-21. The latest district-level data released by the Central government’s ministry of education (March 9) shows student enrolment in government-aided as well as private schools dropping from 2.30 crore in academic year 2019-20 to 2.25 crore in academic year 2020-21.

According to the Unified District System for Education Plus (UDISE+) report that tracks the state of education in the country on various parameters, while Maharashtra had 2,30,54,357 (2.30 crore) students enrolling for pre-primary to class XII in academic year 2019-20, student enrollment was lower at 2,25,11,839 (2.25 crore) for academic year 2020-21 . 

The drop of 5.42 lakh (5,42,518) in enrolments is attributed to the impact of the COVID pandemic on education across the state. Much of that dip came from poor pre-primary and primary enrolments.

According to the data, pre-primary student enrolments dropped by 2.82 lakh and enrolments to primary (class I-IV) dropped by 3.01 lakh. The UDISE+ report notes the lower pre-primary enrolment numbers could be as a result of the government postponing fresh school admissions during the COVID pandemic.

Besides lower enrolments, the period also witnessed a large number – up to 1.25 lakh, students from class I to XII drop out of the state’s education system totally, says the report. The extended school closures, the switch to online teaching and job losses that left many parents unable to pay the school fees during the pandemic are said to be the causes for it.

The UDISE+ data also showed Maharashtra lagging behind other states like Chhattisgarh, Kerala and Punjab in terms of providing digital learning. Of the total 1,10,114 schools in Maharashtra, only 36 percent of schools had internet facilities in all.

Amongst them, while as many as 83 percent of private schools had internet access, only 11 percent government run schools had internet facilities to provide online education to their students. The lack of access to mobile devices and un-interrupted internet services have been a major cause for the loss of learning amongst students.

The fear of COVID infection also led to inter and intra state migrations which resulted in many students dropping out of the system. According to another survey conducted by the Maharashtra state government, 245 families from rural areas and 653 households from urban areas reported migration during the pandemic.

The survey report which was part of Maharashtra’s Economic Survey Report 2021-22 released March 10 during the budget session had surveyed 16,000 households. It studied the impact of the pandemic on livelihoods, education and health during the 2020 countrywide lockdown. 

Also read: ‘No justification now for keeping schools closed in view of Covid-19’: World Bank