From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Feb 24: Believe it or not, as many as 688 primary schools in different parts of Karnataka have no students at all.

So, is the huge investment on building infrastructure like school buildings and other sanitation facilities, playgrounds, teachers and staff salaries etc by the State Government a big drain on the infrastructure?

Not just that, according to official data, over 9,500 government schools in the State have 20 or less number of students studying them.

Of the 688 schools with zero number of students include lower primary and upper primary classes, 535 are government schools, 138 unaided and 15 aided ones.

One wonders whether the growing trend for having smaller families with one or two children due to rising financial costs and the popularity of family control measures or the popularity of private and English medium schools is the reason for this zero and less number of students in most schools.

The growing trend of zero or very low enrolment of students in schools is certainly a matter of concern as Karnataka is known for its large of High Schools, Pre-University and Degree colleges as well as Engineering, Medical and Nursing Colleges, which may face reduced clamour for seats in the years to come.

As of now, many Engineering Colleges, Industrial Training Institutes and Polytechnics have been facing less number of students with many courses finding no takers.

Apparently, the time has come for the Government as well as managements of private educational institutions to cut down costs and perhaps combine courses. The State Government too needs to examine its policy of investing in the education sector and concentrate more on improving the facilities in the existing institutions.