-SATISH HANDA

Information reveals, Haryana state government has decided to close down nearly 1057 government primary and middle schools in Haryana state having student strength less than 25 and the students of these schools will be shifted to other schools in adjoining areas within a distance of a couple of kilometres. However, decision was strongly condemned by the parents of students studying in these schools as well as teachers and other staff in these schools, said the decision will not only adversely affect the students but also nearly 3000 teaching and other staff working in these educational schools will become jobless. They made an appeal that education department in the state should work out an alternate solution to keep alive these schools instead of taking action to close down such schools and make teachers as well as staff working in these schools jobless.

According to a survey conducted by this correspondent in Ambala district,   there are as many as 51 such primary schools having strength of students in these schools less than 25. Similarly, there are 54 middle schools has been identified in the district having students strength between 11 and 15. Information also reveals, 743 primary government schools in the state have less than 25 students with total strength of 1304 teachers in these schools. Similarly, there are 314 middle schools in the state having 930 teachers employed in these schools, of them 50 schools having strength between 0 to 5 students, 20 schools having between 6 to 10 students, 54 schools having between 11 to 15 students, 89 schools having between 16 to 20 students and 101 schools having between 21 to 25 students in these schools.

A survey of primary schools in Haryana state reveals that there are 91 schools having between 0 to 5 students, 120 schools having between 6 to 10 students, 204 schools having between 11 to 15 students, 180 schools having between 16 to 20 students, and 148 schools having between 21 to 25 students. State Press Secretary, Haryana Backward Classes Government Teachers Union Mohan Lal Parocha said that state government’s decision to close down the schools having insufficient number of students is a step taken by the government in hurry, which will not only make nearly 3000 teachers unemployed but also another nearly 300 persons working as cleanliness staff, sweepers, watchmen and mid-day meal workers in these schools jobless. He said, it is moral duty of state government to provide education to children but on the other hand   government has decided to down shutters of these schools instead of working out a solution to keep alive such temples of education and also save employment of large number of teachers and staff in these schools.