Non Resident Keralites turn to cheaper' state schools

KOCHI: Kerala is slowly feeling the impact of the sharp fall in oil prices with several NRKs readying to leave the Gulf countries or pack off their families. The first signs are seen in the rush for school admissions for the next academic year here.

Several schools in Kochi have reported  a rush to take admissions from those who are working in the Gulf countries and who plan to either return permanently or send back their families. This is because either their salaries have been cut or they are being given pink slips.

“More than 40 emails have landed at Al-Ameen Public School, Edappally, seeking admission for their wards from parents who are now in the Gulf and who plan to repatriate their children to the school. Several more enquiries too have come with the same purpose. This is unprecedented. Usually, we get such requests and queries only in March when the academic year ends in the Gulf. These parents seem to have been  hit by the oil price dip,” said school chairman T.P.M. Ibrahim Khan, who is also  president of the Kerala CBSE School Management Association.

He   said that several other CBSE schools under the association too had  reported a similar spurt in requests seeking admissions.

“The requests are mainly for Class II to  X admissions.  Several grandparents are personally going to the schools in a bid to ensure  admissions,” he said.

Principal Jaya Jacob of Bhavan’s Vidya Mandir, Elamakkara,   said that the school had   received over 40 requests from Malayali parents in the Gulf for admission for their wards.

“We turned down some as we don’t have many vacancies. The rest are being processed. The real position will be known later only. In the previous years, the school used to get 10-15 requests only for admission from parents in the Gulf. This year, the rush is  unprecedented,” she said.