BHUBANESWAR: The efforts of the State Government to increase students’ enrolment at elementary level appear to have been ineffective as nine primary schools were shut down in the Capital City alone due to poor strength of students.
The schools which were closed included Nandankanan Primary School, Kalajhar Primary School, Huda Bhoisahi Primary School, RK Palli Primary School, Desarakhi Primary School, Hansapal Bhoisahi Primary School, Laxmisagar HBC Primary School, Adivasigaon Project Primary School and Sailashree Vihar Project Primary School. So far, 54 primary schools have been closed in Khurda district due to the poor enrolment of students, said officials of Khurda district project office of Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA).
This apart, eight schools in Balianta, 10 in Balipatana, five each in Jatni, Chilika and Bolgarh, three in Khurda and one each in Tangi and Begunia have been closed in the district on the same ground. Similarly, several schools have been identified in other districts either to be closed or merged with other schools.
In July, the Odisha Primary Education Programme Authority (OPEPA) had stated that 4,137 schools with a poor enrolment of students have been identified in the State.
The officials were asked to prepare a fresh list of such schools for the future course of action. The School and Mass Education department’s statistics reveal that while 60,72,580 students were studying in Government schools at elementary level during 2010-11, the number declined to 51,58,905 in 2016-17.
The reports of poor enrolment at the elementary level is surfacing in large number at a time when the Government has been implementing various schemes like Mid-day Meal (MDM), free uniform and textbooks to enhance student strength. When contacted, OPEPA officials said efforts are on to improve the student enrolment and quality of education at primary level. Schools having poor enrolment are being merged with nearby schools for the creation of better education facility for the students, they added.