The Punjab Government is mulling merger of the Government schools having less than 20 students with the adjoining ones. As of now in the nascent stage, the proposal is expected to be finalised and implemented soon.
“The Government is planning to merge the schools which have 20 or less students with the nearby schools…As of now, it is just a proposal which is being discussed, but we are hoping to implement it as soon as possible,” a senior Government official, related with the State Education Department, told The Pioneer.
The official said that the main aim of the State Government is to provide the best and quality education to the children, and that was why the Government mulling this step.
The move was also proposed by the previous SAD-BJP Government in 2012-13, but could not be implemented due to strong opposition, not only by the ruling party MlAs and that of opposition, but also by the parents, and several NGOs.
The then Government had zeroed in on closing down as many as 690 schools, which was reversed reportedly after displeasure of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
Citing the Right to Education Act, 2009, that mandates that lower primary schools must be within a radius of one kilometer, the then Government had even initiated the process for the merger of the schools which are situated close to
each other.
The instructions were even issued to all the district education officers (DEOs), besides constitution of team to map the schools for merger.
The then Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka had to come out with a clarification denying that there was any such proposal regarding closure of all
primary schools having less than 20 students.
In fact, he claimed that the the Government had decided to merge the schools where there are two or more schools in a locality or village and one school have less than 20 students only.
The erstwhile Government was considering to close the schools where either the number of students are very less or having more than one school
within the radius of one kilometre.
“We would keep all things in consideration. Along with the quality, the Government is making effort to make the education accessible to all…so there is no question that the students would suffer after merger or there would be a rise in drop outs…we will keep the norms in mind before making any such move,” a senior Education Department officer said.
The officer justified that there was no point running the schools with such a minuscule number of students, and if there was another school in the vicinity, merger is the only solution.
“The teachers of such schools can be adjusted where there is staff shortage,” said the officer.