CHENNAI: In the wake of strong opposition from various sections, including railway employees organisations, Southern Railway has reversed its decision on closing down nine of its schools. A press release said that six railway schools at Perambur, Madurai, Palakkad, Golden Rock, Erode and Podanur have been allowed to admit students in Class I this year, subject to the condition that a minimum of 15 to 20 wards of railway employees are admitted. “Otherwise, Class I may not run in these schools. However, other classes will continue to be conducted,” the release said.
Besides, railways have also decided to allow admission in schools at Arakkonam, Villupuram and Jolarpet without any condition as these schools have a high patronage by students of railway workers.
On April 30, Southern Railway decided to shut nine of its schools from 2019-20 and directed its divisional offices not to admit students this year.
Even though the Bibek Debroy committee recommended railways to discontinue school administration, it had advised the national transporter to study the possibilities of merging the schools with Kendriya Vidyalaya or State government schools. Southern Railway’s decision to shut the schools came as a rude shock to railway employees.
The railways attributed the decision to shut the schools to poor patronage among railway wards over the years. “Proliferation of schools with different syllabi in almost all cities and due to the liberal Children Education Allowance being granted by the Central government, in the past few years, the number of railway wards in railway schools has declined alarmingly,” the release said.
The decision was reviewed by Southern Railway General Manager R K Kulshrestha, based on representations received from various groups, including SRMU, one of the railway employees unions, the release said.