By The Hindu Bureau

Copyright thehindu

Villupuram Member of Parliament D. Ravikumar has urged Minister for School Education Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi to upgrade the Government Girls High School in Marakkanam into a higher secondary school.

In a letter addressed to Mr. Poyyamozhi, the MP said the total student strength in the school stood at over 600. A committee had demanded the upgradation of the school and also paid the deposit amount of ₹2 lakh. However, the government rejected the request citing the presence of a Government Boys Higher Secondary School in the vicinity and that the higher secondary section had turned co-educational allowing admission for girls as well.

Mr. Ravikumar said the school has remained the lone Government school for girls in Marakkanam block. As a result, girl students are forced to discontinue their education after class X due to lack of a higher secondary school. The students are also married off by their parents. and the prevalence of child marriages is also very high in Villupuram district.

Hence, the government should upgrade the high school into a higher secondary school to facilitate the higher studies of girl children in Marakkanam, he demanded.