Anxious parents enrol selves at English coaching classes

Getting admission in a school is not everybody's cup of tea. It has been observed that before the admission process starts in city schools, parents rush to join English speaking courses in order to prepare themselves for the interviews that they will face.

Though taking interviews of the children is banned by the government, many schools still continue to do so, in addition to conducting an interview of the parents, before granting the child admission.

According to some coaching institutes, anxious parents enrol in order to be able to face a panel of interviewers, or to be able to speak at parent-teacher association meetings, or, most notably, to be able to teach their child if s/he is admitted in an English medium school.

Piush Bhatia, head of BM English Speaking Institute said: "In all four of our centres, around 14-16 parents have sought admission. Their reason to join is to either face school admission interviews or to be able to speak fluent English at the time of PTA meetings in schools."

Swati Popat Vats, president, Early Childhood Association said: "The school authorities take interviews of parents for three reasons. Firstly, they want to check the status of the parents. Then, whether a parent can teach their child at home. The third reason is if parents of a higher social status make an issue of a particular parent not knowing English, then the ward(s) of such a parent is denied admission."

Deepa Datta, a parent who is enrolled at a coaching class at BM English Speaking Institute said: "Now, I can confidently attend my daughter's school PTA meetings and also ask questions to teachers. This is also helping me teach my daughter and speak with her in English."