Govt refuses to bow to pressure, merges nearly 10,000 schools

Despite protests by political parties and opposition from a number of teachers, parents, students and a legal battle, the state government has refused to buckle under any pressure and gone ahead with the school merger plan, pairing close to 10,000 primary, upper primary schools this month.

- Rajeev Mullick

The exact number will be made known in the first week of August when the entire process is completed after addressing stakeholders’ complaints.

Talking to Hindustan Times, additional chief secretary, basic education, Deepak Kumar said about 9000 to 10,000 government-run primary and upper primary schools have been merged (or paired) and added that exact number will be shared with the press in August when the process is completed.

“Tt is a long exercise given the size of the state and needs to be handled with care as it concerns students,” Kumar said ahead of basic education minister Sandeep Singh’s proposed press conference scheduled for Thursday.

There has been some misin-

formation in circulation that schools with more than 50 students have been merged which is not true, he said, adding that one must look at the larger picture.