Odisha to shut over 8,000 primary schools with less than 20 students

The Odisha authorities has determined to close 8,000-odd main and higher main state faculties from the present educational 12 months on the bottom that their minimal scholar power is just not viable to allow them to run.

A notification by the state college and mass schooling division stated the shutting down of the faculties with scholar power lower than 20 would result in enchancment within the studying atmosphere, higher infrastructure services, higher educational atmosphere and co-curricular services for the scholars.

The transfer termed “Consolidation and rationalisation” below Niti Aayog’s Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital in Education (SATH-E) challenge is already below implementation with round 8000-odd faculties in Odisha with scholar power lower than 20 being closed and merged with nearest faculties referred to as Lead Schools over previous few months.

For a Primary college, a close-by Primary (I-V)/Upper Primary (I-VIII/VI-VIII)/ Secondary (I-X), might be recognized for consolidation. Similarly for an Upper Primary (I-VIII/VI-VIII), a close-by Upper Primary (I-VIII/VI-VIII) or highschool (I-X/VI-X) can be recognized for the merger course of. As per 2016 statistics of the varsity and mass schooling division, Odisha has round 58,000 main and higher main authorities faculties.

Joint director in Odisha School Education Programme Authority, Surekha Tarei stated to date 6,000-odd faculties have been recognized in 27 districts for merger whereas one other 2,000 faculties are being recognized in relaxation Three districts for implementing the consolidation transfer. “The students who would have to travel to a distant school due to the consolidation process would be paid Rs 20 as daily allowance. The process would lead to fully functional schools with an increase in the number of teachers per class and concentrated investment of resources,” she stated.

As per the state authorities notification, each scholar from the faculties which might be dealing with closure might be offered a one-time facilitation allowance of Rs 3,000 on their admission to the Lead School. All lecturers/headmaster/employees (together with mid-day meal cook dinner and so on.) of the faculties which might be dealing with closure may also transfer to the Lead School with none change of their service situations. If the Lead college distance is past 1 km, transport allowance as per RTE norms can be offered to the scholars.

Trilochan Nayak, president of All Utkal main Teachers Federation, decried the consolidation transfer saying it could convey the schooling system in Odisha to ruins. “The same government which allowed the schools to open in villages is now shutting down the schools. As on date, Odisha has around 4,400-odd vacant positions at the elementary level which should have been filled up by the government. But instead of improving the infrastructure, the government is just hell-bent on closing the schools. No one consulted stakeholders like teachers and the students while deciding on consolidation. The school and mass education minister also did not resist the move. Even if the government gives transport allowance, how many students in rural areas would be inclined to travel to a distant school for study. This would lead to more dropout in primary level,” stated Nayak.

Noted educationist Prithwish Acharya additionally stated the consolidation of colleges was not a sensible transfer contemplating that the federal government is aiming at 100 per cent literacy. “When we talk of universalisation of education, schools with less than 20 students also play a role. The government schools in rural areas help poorer students enrol and complete their education. Besides, it is not the fault of the students that the school has less than 20 students as it’s the duty of the government to provide the necessary infrastructure for education. Many of these schools in rural areas don’t even have mandatory desks and benches for the students forcing them to study under humiliating conditions,” stated Acharya.

Acharya argued that the federal government mustn’t consider saving cash on the subject of schooling. “Education in any way is going to cost money. So why not stop funding schools altogether,” he requested.

Akshay Hota, a faculty instructor in Bhadrak, the place many main and higher main faculties can be shut down, stated the consolidation transfer would pressure many mother and father to enrol their youngsters in non-public faculties which might be comparatively costly. “The poor parents would not probably like to send their children to a far-off school and may enrol them at a private school near home. How many parents can afford that,” he requested.