Arunachal to Shut Down, Merge 600 Schools to Improve Educational Infrastructure
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The state government of Arunachal Pradesh has decided to shut down or merge nearly 600 primary schools in an effort to optimize educational resources and improve the quality of education in the state. These schools either remained non-functional or had zero enrolments.
It is part of a larger strategy to revamp education in the state. Merger of schools in low-strength areas will be consolidated with those in higher strength areas, taking cognizance of population shifts and considerable drop in enrollments from rural to urban areas. This can facilitate better allocation of resources and meet the educational needs of the relocated children.
He reportedly said that the decision to shut or merge schools had been taken after a host of deliberations and discussions with all concerned stakeholders. There will be merging of 336 schools to create inter-village schools, which can cater to multiple neighboring villages. This provides access not only to better education but also allows for a more rational and efficient use of educational resources and infrastructure. Moreover, 398 schools with no enrollments have been closed.
Consolidation will facilitate sound administration, sharing of facilities, and mutual solving of problems. The new schools that will emerge in the process of merging will have better infrastructural facilities, improved teaching conditions, and improved learning conditions; it simply means each child will have access to quality education.
The closure/merger decision is also aimed at effectively using the human resource. There are schools with no students but two to three teachers, and such schools are being merged so that the teaching staff can be better deployed.
The State budget presented recently has proposed to sanction ₹2,139 crores for the education sector. This will be utilized for opening new schools, upgrading the existing infrastructures and introducing advanced educational technologies.
In a nutshell, the decision of the government to shut or merge nearly 600 schools is part of an comprehensive plan that envisages optimization of educational resources and quality education in the state. Now, this initiative will give birth to inter-village schools, having better facilities and upgraded standards for teaching, improved learning surroundings, hence ensuring quality education to every student.
