LUCKNOW: In a bid to retain students and bolster enrolment in government primary schools, the Uttar Pradesh government would brand over 4,400 primary schools as ‘ English medium ’ from the new academic session.Preparations are under way at the state basic education directorate to roll out the plan. While the text books have been published, screening of teachers is being finalised. “Five primary schools per block—4,410 in all—have been identified for the purpose. Teachers will be screened on the basis of a written test followed by interview wherein their knowledge and inclination for the same will be assessed.The teachers will be trained at District Institute of Education and Training before being sent to the schools,” said Sarvendra Vikram Bahadur Singh, director, basic education department, UP. The step was taken after a rising public demand for English mediums schools — a fact noted by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in its report as well.A study of enrolment data for government and government aided schools versus private schools explains the trend. Against 1.97 crore students in 2010, there were just 1.52 crore studying in government and government-aided primary schools of UP in 2016- 17. In case of private schools, enrolment increased from 1.22 crore in 2010 to 1.67 crore in 2016. The falling number called for swift action and thus changing the medium of education in select government schools was thought off and rolled out on a pilot basis in some schools, reveals a source in the department. It was found that after the start of the pilot project, the number of students up to class VIII went up from 1.52 crore to 1.54 crore.“The rise in enrolment is clearly an outcome of the adaptation. Parents want their children to learn English,” Singh stated.