VISAKHAPATNAM: The school education department’s student enrolment drive, starting from April 23 to 30 in the name of ‘Mana Vooru Mana Madi’ (Our Village Our School), has been drawing criticism from all quarters as it will cost the exchequer about Rs 40 crore.As per the orders issued by the Commissionerate of School Education , each government school, which are about 45,000 in number, can utilise a maximum of Rs 5,000 towards enrolment of the kids. This would alone cost the state exchequer about Rs 20 crore. While the headmaster of the school will be paid Rs 400 per day, one teacher of the school will get Rs 250 per day during these eight days. It was not the case last year when each district was given only about Rs 40,000 for community mobilisation without putting much pressure on the exchequer.A source from the school education department wondered why the higher-ups took the decision of spending nearly Rs 40 crore on the enrolment drive. “It is always a good idea to explain the advantages of government schools to parents such as free education, free uniforms and textbooks, qualified and competent teachers, mid-day meals, digital and virtual classrooms, sports education etc. But that does not necessarily need splurging money on the drive to draw more number of students towards government schools,” said the official.

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