During the last five years, students in Gujarat seem to be "finding their way to private schools" in the state, states the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in its latest report. The report tabled in the Gujarat Assembly on Tuesday states that private unaided elementary schools - that offer education from Class I-VII - in Gujarat have pipped the state-governement-run schools in terms of growth and enrollment of students. During 2008-09, there were 33,182 government elementary schools, 5,081 private unaided schools and 843 private-aided schools in Gujarat. By, 2012-13, the number of private-unaided schools increased by almost 56 percent, private-aided schools rose by 7.7 percent and the government schools by a mere 1.32 percent. When the numbers of children enrolled during five year period between 2008-13 is taken into consideration, the mismatch is quite stark. Private unaided schools managed to register a phenomenal 84 percent growth in student numbers, after over 12.5 lakh students joined these schools during the five-year period. At the same time, Private-aided schools attracted an additional 28,000 students (13% growth). However, the state-government schools managed to enroll only 1.85 lakh students registering a growth of just three percent in student numbers between 2008-13, the report reveals. "Lack of all-weather buildings, classrooms, toilets, drinking water, playground, compound walls, teachers, etc were found to be responsible for children finding a way to private schools," CAG stated in it's report. The Gujarat Council of Elementary Education (GCEE) which is responsible for creation of infrastructure in government elementary schools in the state told CAG that the private unaided schools were providing attractive ambience and innovations by spending funds collected through higher fees. "The state government should take measures to provide infrastructure facilities and appoint adequate teachers for imparting quality education, thereby making state-run schools more attractive for enrolments," stated the auditor. CAG also found that out of the 37.70 lakh students enrolled in Classes I-IV during 2008-09, only 28.91 lakh students could be retained in Class V-VIII up to 2012-13. "Thus 23 percent of students had dropped out of (government-run) elementary schools during the period," stated CAG while adding that the high drop-out rate and the declining enrollment in government schools was due to inadequate infrastructure and teachers. The country's top audit watch dog also noticed that over 57 primary schools in Gujarat that were functioning without even a single teacher. Moreover, there was also a vacancy of 4,262 head-teachers in the state as on March 31, 2013. As far as the Upper Primary Schools in the state were concerned, the vacancies were much larger and more glaring. CAG pointed out that posts for science, mathematics and language teachers in 21,357 upper primary schools had vacancies ranging from 59-64 percent, while positions (22,770 posts) for part-time instructors in Art Education, Health and Physical Education, Work Education were 100 percent vacant.
