Himachal Pradesh Merges 419 Schools With Low Enrollment To Address Declining Numbers

Himachal Pradesh's Education Minister Rohit Thakur shared that 361 primary schools with fewer than five students have been consolidated with schools located within a 2-km radius.

Himachal Pradesh Merges 419 Schools With Low Enrollment. (Representative Image)

Source : Freepik AI

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh's Education Minister Rohit Thakur on Wednesday informed the Vidhan Sabha about the merger of 419 government schools with five or fewer students into nearby schools. This decision aims to streamline the deployment of teachers and address declining student enrollments, as reported by news agency PTI.

Minister Thakur shared that 361 primary schools with fewer than five students have been consolidated with schools located within a 2-km radius. Similarly, 58 middle schools with limited student numbers have been merged with schools within a 3-km radius. This move follows a directive discussed during a 'Question Hour' session in response to a question from BJP member Vipin Parmar, posed by his colleague Rakesh Jamwal in his absence.

The reduction in government school enrollments over the past two decades has been attributed to several factors, including a growing preference for private schools and the proliferation of private institutions near existing government schools. Additionally, the migration of people from rural to urban areas has contributed to the declining numbers in rural schools.

The education minister highlighted a significant drop in student enrollments: primary school students decreased from 90 lakh in 2003 to 2.99 lakh in 2023. Middle school enrollments fell from 3.81 lakh to 2.50 lakh over the same period. Senior secondary school enrollments also declined from 1.84 lakh to 1.34 lakh. Thakur warned that this trend could worsen in the next decade.

The latest Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) reflects the deteriorating educational standards in the state, with Himachal Pradesh now ranking 21st and Class 8 students struggling with reading materials meant for Class 2. During a cabinet meeting on July 25, the state government decided to close 89 government primary schools and 10 middle schools with zero enrollments, approving the merger of others with minimal student numbers within specified distances.