Hry govt seeks fresh details of primary schools with less than 25 students

KARNAL: Putting a check on dipping enrolment in Haryana government primary schools (GPS) has become a challenge for the state government as it is exploring the possibility of merging them with nearby schools.

As per the figures of the department of elementary education, Haryana, as many as 1,025 government primary schools in the state have strength of below 25 students while 245 schools have enrolment of 10 students or below. Similarly, 79 schools, including 16 in Mahendergarh district, have students’ count 5 or below.

The figures were revealed in a letter written by the director of elementary education to district elementary education officers (DEEO) asking them to verify these figures with a fresh survey and submit them by January 31.

The DEEOs were also told find out the strength of students and number of teachers in the nearby schools, so that the students in these schools could be shifted to the nearby schools.

As per the figures mentioned in the letter, as many as 122 schools have enrolment of below 25 students in Mahendergarh district;110 in Rewari;104 in Yamunanagar; 96 in Kurukshetra and 72 in Bhiwani.

Five schools in Mahendergarh district were identified with one student each in these schools. It mentioned that GPS Kari Thoka of Charkhi Dadri has three teachers for seven students while GPS Amloha in Yamunanagar district has two teachers for eight students.

“The reports about the strength of students were sought from district level officers to find out the schools with poor enrolment as the government was exploring the possibilities to merge these schools with the nearby ones,” said a senior official of Haryana education department.

However, the ground level officials of the Haryana elementary education department were of the view that the government might shut these schools due to poor enrolment and transfer the staff and moveable assets of these schools to the neighboring schools to provide quality education as the teachers from these schools will also be shifted as per the strength of the students.

“We were asked for the details of the schools where the strength of students were below 25 and they also asked the details and distance of the nearby schools,” said a DEEO pleading anonymity.

Talking to HT, Pardeep Kumar, director elementary education, Haryana, said, “Yes the survey about the strength of students in primary school was being conducted so that efforts could be made to improve the enrolment in these schools”

He did not confirm whether the government was planning to shut these schools. On why the details of the nearby schools were sought, he said, “We may look at the feasibility of shifting students if the strength was nominal.”

OFFICIALS SAY THERE IS POSSIBILITY THAT GOVT MAY MERGE THESE SCHOOLS WITH OTHERS IN THE VICINITY