Recession: More Parents Withdraw Children from Private Schools, Swell Public School Enrollment

*Delta halts Indefinite enrollment into public schools 

By Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

In an apparent bid to mitigate the harsh effect of the prevailing economic downtown in the country, many parents are withdrawing their children and wards from private schools across Delta State.

THISDAY learnt that increasing numbers of parents and guardians have been taking away the pupils for enrolment in state government schools instead.
Recent enrollment figures for numerous public primary and secondary schools have shot up significantly as a result.

The state commissioner for basic and secondary education, Mr Chiedu Ebie, said that the state government was taking measures to deal with the effects of the increased population recorded in public schools.

Speaking with THISDAY on the Expanded Stakeholders’ Meeting on Homegrown School Feeding Programme held in Asaba, Ebie said, “Very recently, there has been a huge increase of the number of pupils enrolling in our public schools as a result of harsh economic climate.”

He hinted that the increased number of pupils especially at the primary level has partly led to Delta State overshooting its allocation by the Federal Government under the National School Feeding Programme by as high 97,916 pupils.

The slot allotted by the Federal Government to Delta State for the programme is 149,000 pupils only.

Meanwhile, the state government has moved to halt the indiscriminate enrollment of pupils into public schools across the state, which has created planning challenges in the ministry.