40% who passed Class XII in city didn’t opt for higher edu

 40% who passed Class XII in city didn’t opt for higher edu

 CAUSE OF CONCERN

 Preetika.p@timesgroup.com 

Chennai : At least two out of five students in Chennai who passed Class XII this year haven’t enrolled for higher studies, as per school education department data. While 5% of those who have not been admitted to higher institutions are still awaiting admissions for various courses including medicine, dental, paramedical and allied health sciences, 5,626 of 16,061 students haven’t applied anywhere, officials said. Over the last few weeks, school authorities have updated data about those who paased Class XII on the educational management information system portal of the school education department.

 Data show that 6,584 of the 16,061 students who completed Class XII this year, have not yet pursued any form of higher education. Only 958 candidates among them have applied to higher institutions. Additionally, 1,316 students failed their exams, and 1,213 were absent. “We have asked the authorities of various schools to contact parents and sensitise them about the need for higher education,” said member -secretary of model schools R Sudhan. 

The govt hopes to push more students into colleges before admissions for 2024-25 academic year close. School management committees will organise career guidance camps and help students navigate the application process for colleges or skill development courses, he said. Such camps will be rolled out in phases across the state until Sept. Soon, more than one lakh students will be mapped to the University Management and Information System (UMIS) to track their progress after graduation. A month-long skill development programme will begin in Sept. This programme will offer short-term training in specific sectors, equipping students with practical skills that can enhance their employability, he added.

 Teachers said many economically backward students were unable to study further. “While boys are asked to find a job, girls are frequently pressured into early marriages. So, they don’t study further,” said Shanthipriya D S, a govt school teacher from Saidapet. “We will encourage them to study or work. We will coordinate with alumni to provide information and support to make informed decisions about their future,” she said.