Bengaluru: Buzzing with students and parents, the Karnataka Public School at KR Pura had a festive atmosphere Friday. Walls were decorated with colourful paper hangings; rangolis and flower decorations added to the celebratory mood. A makeshift selfie booth of cardboard, built by the art teacher, was a big draw.The school campus was vibrant, chaotic, and impossibly alive for the special orientation session of the parent-teacher meeting (PTM), with a teacher on the stage listing the facilities at the school. Once the meeting was over, parents were shepherded to classrooms where they were briefed on their child’s academic performance. Even though PTMs are an annual affair in govt schools, this one was different. The department of school education and literacy announced a mega PTM drive, with all govt and aided schools holding the meeting simultaneously to boost the otherwise sharply declining enrolment. The schools were asked to deck up, ensure parents turned up in large numbers, treat them with refreshments, and explain the advantages of enroling in a govt school. The schools went an extra mile to get parents to attend the event on a working day. For many parents, it was a loss of a day’s wages. “I wish they did it on a holiday. More parents would have come,” said a teacher of a govt school in North Bengaluru. Suchithra, head mistress, KPS, KR Pura, said: “From Monday, we started inviting the parents of our students. We created videos of the preparation and started posting them in the WhatsApp groups of all grades. All teachers made it their social media status. Invites were sent. We generated so much excitement and finally had a good turnout.”Several schools managed to have at least 50% of the parents for the event. “Unlike in private schools, all parents are not very involved in academic activities in a govt school. It requires a lot of cajoling and motivation to get them to participate,” said Bharathi V, head mistress, Govt High School in Ramamurthy Nagar. With NGOs extending their midday meal services to parents too, lunch was provided to almost all Bengaluru schools. Pulav, egg, banana, and payasa were on the menu. Teachers also contributed from their own pockets for the event. The department had issued Rs 1,500 to each school, which schools across the state said was grossly insufficient. The schools live-streamed the children’s day programme held at Vidhan Soudha. Later, various teachers spoke on the learning-based assessment, facilities provided by the school, and how to guide their children. “Do not give mobile to children all the time. Do not watch TV when your child is studying. Motivate them to do better,” a teacher advised parents gathered at school in Ramamurthy Nagar. “I studied in the same school and passed out in 2023. I have now come as guardian for my sister. I am glad there are more of these programmes at govt schools,” said Muskaan, a B Com student who was at the PTM in Ramamurthy Nagar.A teacher however, noted the focus shifted to parents on children’s day. “The normal children’s day activities were not held because of the PTM. There were no classes too,” she added.
