Guest column: English is the attraction, government doesn't get it
![Its believed that over the last three years , government schools have lost an average of one lakh students a year to private schools, which are now required to reserve 25 per cent of their seats for disadvantaged children under the Right to Education (RTE ) Act. Its believed that over the last three years , government schools have lost an average of one lakh students a year to private schools, which are now required to reserve 25 per cent of their seats for disadvantaged children under the Right to Education (RTE ) Act.](http://dc-cdn.s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/dc-Cover-jhi8mnavsprps9bqenjm10a8i4-20160504023942.Medi.jpeg)
Why are students and their parents opting for private unaided English medium schools despite the state government offering them a large number of incentives to join its schools? What is the attraction of an average English medium school against a well equipped Kannada medium school? The answer is simple: the English medium of instruction.
Why are students not ready to join government schools even after English was introduced as the medium of instruction after class IV? Again the answer is obvious: It is not taught properly.
Private schools attract students with English medium and other facilities, besides their colourful uniforms. Many government schools too have good facilities and more qualified teachers. Additionally, they offer students over 40 incentives, but still fail to attract a large number of them.
The 25 per cent quota for underprivileged children in private schools under the Right to Education act (RTE) Act has also led to more admissions in private schools at the cost of government funding.