BHUBANESWAR: As many as 11,517 schools having sub-optimal enrolment will be merged with nearby Government schools in the State soon. The schools to be consolidated include 6,340 primary, upper primary and high schools having less than 20 students and 5,177 primary schools with less than 40 students.

The decision has been taken as part of the rationalisation and consolidation policy. As a first step, it has been decided to consider the consolidation of schools under School and Mass Education department.
Highest number of 934 schools will be merged in Mayurbhanj district followed by 853 in Ganjam district, 663 in Rayagada, 611 in Koraput, 588 in Kandhamal, 508 in Sundargarh, 502 in Kalahandi and 490 in Puri district.

School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash said the primary objective of this exercise is to improve learning environment and outcome. “It will also help achieve streamlining and increasing teacher per grade, with better infrastructure and concentrated investment of resources. Consolidation will lead to fully functional schools that have adequate teachers, infrastructure and resources,” he said.

The Right to Education Act (2009) will be strictly followed during the consolidation process that will be conducted in a transparent manner. If the lead school distance is beyond one km, escort or transport allowance as per norms will be provided to the students.

Students from the schools to be closed will be provided a one-time facilitation allowance of `3,000 each on their admission in the lead schools. The allowance will be transferred online directly to the student’s or parent’s bank account. All teachers, headmasters and staff (including mid-day meal cook) will also move without any change in their service conditions.

“The merger of schools will improve learning and instructional time available to teachers and students through reduction in administrative burden on teachers. It will also ensure that the transition rate up to Class X is smooth and continuous and dropout is reduced. The interest of a student will be the guiding principle of the consolidation exercise,” Dash said.

District Education Officers (DEOs) have been asked to identify lead schools with appropriate class range having adequate infrastructure to accommodate additional students. Teachers, school managing committees and parents of students will be oriented about the benefits of the exercise.  

Schools to be merged will be notified and the measure will come into effect from March 31. All schools created after such consolidation will be deemed to be co-education schools. If consolidation is not possible in some cases, the schools will be allowed to continue with the Government approval.