Chandigarh: The Education Department, Punjab, has
devised a novel plan aimed at ensuring conducive academic environment and
availing the services of current staff at the needy places. The department has
decided to merge Government Primary Schools having less than 20 students with
those Government Primary Schools which are situated within 1 KM radius.
This was disclosed by a spokesperson of the Education Department. The decision of the department would result in the teachers of the schools being merged being deployed at the places where their services are needed the most.
The spokesperson further said that
under the visionary guidance of the Chief Minister, Punjab, Captain Amarinder
Singh and the directions of the Education Minister Mrs. Aruna Chaudhary it has
been decided to start pre-primary classes to boost the standard of Government
schools as well as strengthen the primary education infrastructure.
Apart from
this, special budgetary provisions have been made to strengthen the basic
infrastructure of Government Primary Schools and instruction in English medium
(Optional) would be imparted from 1st standard in 400 schools of the
state.
The spokesperson also said that as per the current series of educational reforms, the decision to merge Government Primary Schools having less than 20 students with those Government Primary Schools falling within 1 Kilometre distance. The spokesperson made it clear that the school which is situated at a distance of more than 1 KM would not be merged even if the strength of the students is less than 20.
According to the spokesperson, the Right to Free and Compulsory Education of the children is being fully adhered to and no student would be traversing the distance of more than 1 KM from his/her residence to go to school. The spokesperson also said that many schools being merged are situated right next to the other schools and in many places, both the schools share a common wall.
Adding further, the spokesperson said
that 47 of the schools facing merger have the student strength of less than 5
and out of these, 15 schools have even less than 3 students. Terming the
decision of merger as being in the interest of both the students and the
teachers, the spokesperson said that this would lead to the better educational
atmosphere in the schools.
The spokesperson made it absolutely clear that the teachers of the schools being merged would be deputed in the concerned district at needy schools having vacant slots as per their seniority on impartial basis.