80 schools with zero enrolment to be closed

The Education Department will merge and downgrade schools having inadequate enrolment and shut over 80 schools with zero enrolment in the state. Those have zero enrolment are mainly primary and middle schools. The department has also decided to convert around 80 exclusively boys and girls schools into coeducational institutions to boost enrolment.

These decisions were taken in a meeting held under the chairmanship of Education Minister Rohit Thakur in Shimla today. “We discussed the merger and downgrade of schools having inadequate enrolment and denotification of schools with zero enrolment. We have sought some more information by May 25. Once we get the information, we will take the final call on the matter,” said the minister.

The meeting was told that several schools had seen zero admissions in the current academic year and they would be closed. The teaching and non-teaching staff thus available from these schools would be shifted to the schools having staff shortage.