6 primary schools likely to merge with nearby schools

Rajiv Mahajan

Nurpur, August 16

The state government’s recent decision to merge Government Primary Schools (GPSs) having five or less than five pupils with nearby GPSs, and close schools with zero enrollment will likely lead to six GPSs being merged with other schools, and one school being shut, in the coming days in the Jawali subdivision of Kangra district.

The state Education Department recently took ground reports from the local authorities of the Block Elementary Education Office (BEEO), Jawali, in this regard. As per information, schools in Jandroh, Banara, Chatwana and Jaisar have five students each, whereas the Bhaglahar and Bhadhela schools have four and two students, respectively.

All these schools will likely merge with nearby GPSs.

Since no child has taken admission in the school at Sohra, it may be shut by the Education Department. The decision has caused worry among parents of students studying in these schools. The parents rue that their kids might have to shift from nearby schools to schools which are 1-2 km away. Some parents say sending their kids to schools farther away could be risky due to the burgeoning menace of stray and abandoned animals, and monkeys, in rural areas.

Jawali BEEO block officer Ashok Kumar said as per the direction of the higher authorities of the Elementary Education Department, the list of schools with five or less students and zero enrollment schools had been submitted, and the department would take further action in this regard.