27 more schools with no students, to be shut

As many as 27 more primary and upper primary schools will be denotified and shut shortly owing to zero enrolment.

Citing zero enrolment in these 27 schools, the Directorate of Elementary Education has sent a proposal to the government to denotify and close these schools with immediate effect for proper utilization of resources.

“We have been informed about zero enrolment in these schools by the concerned deputy directors and we have sent the proposal to denotify these schools to the government,” said Ashish Kohli, Director, Elementary Education.

In the last two years, 1,094 schools in primary and upper primary schools have either been closed or merged due to low enrolment.

While 17 of these are primary schools, the remaining 10 are upper primary schools. Nine out of 10 middle schools with zero enrolment fall in Shimla district. One school is in Sirmaur district. Among the 17 primary schools, four are in Shimla district, three in Kangra district, two each in Hamirpur, Lahaul and Spiti, Una and Solan districts, and one each in Kinnaur and Sirmaur districts. “Some of these schools had children of migrant labourers. They have moved to a different place and hence there are no children in these schools now,” said Kohli.

The Director said that the teaching staff from these schools would be shifted to schools of excellence or the schools having just one teacher. “Around 500 primary and upper primary schools have been identified as schools of excellence across the state. The staff from the denotified or the merged schools is being absorbed in these schools to provide quality education to the students,” he said.

The Director said that efforts were being made to provide at least five teachers for primary classes in the schools of excellence. “In these schools, we are providing one teacher for every class. Elsewhere, teachers are teaching multiple classes. Having one teacher for every class will enhance the quality of education,” said Kohli.

Apart from having adequate staff, the government will ensure good physical infrastructure in the schools identified as schools of excellence.