U-DISE report 2024-25: Enrolment in Punjab’s private schools crosses 30 lakh, around 4 lakh more than govt schools

While enrolment in government schools has dipped from 28.23 lakh last year to 26.69 lakh this year, it has increased in private schools. Last year, 29.81 lakh children were enrolled in private schools, which has increased to 30.63 lakh this year. Enrolment in government-aided schools has also declined to 1.74 lakh this year from 1.82 lakh last year.

According to the U-DISE report 2024-25, Punjab has a total of 2,7281 schools, including 19,243 government schools, 437 government-aided, 7,589 private unaided schools, and 12 others. There are 2,73,130 teachers in the state as per the latest data, a slight increase from the 2,73,092 last year.

At least 2,431 schools in Punjab are single-teacher institutions imparting education to 76,942 children.

Of the 27,281 schools in the state, 26,890 have libraries or reading corners, 26,438 have playgrounds, 1,453 have digital libraries, and 20,462 have kitchen gardens, the report said. Nearly all schools (27,273) have a functional drinking water facility.

On access to toilets, it said that 26,727 schools have functional toilets for girls and 26,260 have functional toilets for boys. As many as 27,261 schools have functional electricity connections, and 5,772 have solar panels, it added.