In the face of growing distrust in government schools in rural areas and rising competition from expensive English-medium institutions, the Mandla Khanwali Group Gram Panchayat in Arvi tehsil of Wardha district has launched a unique initiative aimed at boosting enrolment in Zilla Parishad schools. The Panchayat has introduced a tax waiver scheme to encourage parents to admit their children in government schools.
In the village, which has a population of around 900, student strength in government schools has been steadily declining. Despite limited financial means, many parents are increasingly opting for costly English-medium education for their children.
To address this trend, the Gram Panchayat held a general body meeting and passed a resolution introducing incentives for school enrolment. Under the scheme, parents enrolling their children in Class 1 at the Zilla Parishad school will be exempted from water tax and streetlight tax. Families enrolling children from Classes 1 to 4 will also receive a one-year exemption from house tax.
Notably, Mandla Gram Panchayat has become the first in Wardha district to roll out such an initiative aimed at strengthening enrolment in government schools.
To create awareness, the Panchayat has also launched a public outreach campaign in the village through traditional drum announcements.
Sarpanch Mangesh Dhurve said there is a growing misconception that quality education is only possible in English-medium schools, while government schools are equally capable of providing good education. He added that the initiative aims to change this mindset and encourage rural families to opt for better educational opportunities within the government system.
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