Student shortage forces closure of 53 government schools

Chetan Chauhan

New Delhi, September 8

Facing a shortage of students, the Directorate of Education has decided to close down 53 government schools, many of which are in old Delhi. This is in addition to 55 schools already closed so far.

Senior Directorate of Education official, said, the students studying in these schools will be merged with other government schools in the nearby areas. "We will ensure that boys are sent to boy schools and girls to girl schools, so that the students don't face any problem," an official said. A few months ago, boys of a Lajpat Nagar school had protested against merger of a girl's school with theirs.

Most of the schools being closed are in the morning shift and are upto middle level. "The number of students in these schools are less than 300. In some of the schools the number of teachers are high," an official said. Some of these schools are also being run in rented accommodation.

Many of the schools, which are being closed, are in the old Delhi area. "We have seen a steady decline in enrollment in the government schools. There are senior secondary schools like the one in Gale Bharf Wali where the students are double the number of teachers," an official said. There has been dip of 25-30 per cent population in old city in the past one decade as the area has quickly turned into a trading centre.

Officials say the closure of schools helps the Directorate in two ways. Firstly, the teachers can be posted in schools having a few teachers. Secondly, there is saving on annual expenditure of maintenance and repairs.

But the money saved may not be enough to build new classrooms. The directorate estimates that it requires 2,234 additional classrooms in 2004 to accommodate the students.

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Short supply

• Govt Senior Sec. School, at Kinari Bazar: 47
• Secondary School Sushila Mohan Marg: 50
• Girl & Boys Senior Secondary Molar Bandh: 55
• Girls and Boys Middle School at Paharganj: 71
• Girls and Boys middle school at Lancer Road: 279