While Kollywood actor and Dravidianist sympathiser Karthi showered praise on Tamil Nadu’s School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh, claiming government schools were thriving under his stewardship, the reality on the ground tells a very different story.
The Tamil Nadu government has closed 207 primary and middle schools across the state this academic year after reporting zero student enrollment, according to the School Education Department.
Tamil Nadu has 31,332 government primary and middle schools, with 18,46,550 students studying from Classes 1 to 8. Officials said a significant number of these institutions record only single-digit student strength, and in some cases, just one student. Children from such schools are being transferred to nearby institutions.
An education department official said that enrollment in government schools had temporarily risen during the COVID-19 pandemic due to economic hardship. However, after restrictions eased, many parents moved their children back to private schools, citing concerns over infrastructure, teacher shortages, and a preference for English-medium education.
“This year, 207 schools have been closed as there was not a single student enrolled,” the official said to Dinamalar, adding that teachers from these institutions have been transferred elsewhere.
Parents and education activists allege that poor infrastructure, multi-grade teaching by just two teachers for Classes 1 to 5, and lack of proactive enrollment efforts by some teachers have contributed to the decline. They have urged the government to improve facilities to prevent further closures.
District-wise Closures
The largest number of closures were in Nilgiris (17), Sivaganga (16), and Dindigul (12). Chennai, Erode, and Madurai each saw 10 closures, while Coimbatore and Ramanathapuram reported 9 each. Other affected districts include Tuticorin (8), Dharmapuri (7), Tirupur (7), Virudhunagar (7), and several others with smaller numbers.
Closure in Annamalai’s Hometown
Among the affected schools is the Uthupatti Government Primary School in K. Paramathi Panchayat Union, Karur district, where Tamil Nadu BJP’s former state president K. Annamalai cast his vote in the last Lok Sabha elections. The school has now been shut due to lack of students.
Officials maintain that the closures are temporary and that students will continue their education in nearby schools. However, activists warn that without urgent infrastructure upgrades, more rural schools may face the same fate.
(With inputs from Dinamalar)
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