No primary school clubbed or merged in last 3 years
Srinagar: The government on Wednesday said that nearly 4000 schools in Jammu and Kashmir were merged and clubbed during the year 2022-23
According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the government in a reply to a question tabled by MLA Vijay Kumar in legislative assembly said, “3997 schools were merged and clubbed during 2022-23.”
The government however further informed the house that no primary school has been clubbed or merged during the last three years in J&K.
The government in a query regarding whether the clubbing or merger of the schools with other schools deprived the small children of free and compulsory education from the public schools informed the house, “No Children has been deprived of the free and compulsory Education on account of the closure of any school.”
The house was further informed that under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, private schools are legally mandated to reserve 25 percent of their entry level seats for children belonging to poor to Economically Weaker Sections of the Society, but the same not fully implemented.
“In government schools, education is completely free and compulsory for all children aged 6-14 years, with facilities such as free Textbooks, Uniforms, Mid-Day Meals etc. Besides, poor students are also facilitated by way of providing other requirements through the Red Cross Fund,” the government said.
About the opening or reopening of merged schools said, “The opening or reopening of schools is considered on the basis of prescribed population norms, enrollment, distance criteria, availability of infrastructure and manpower, and the requirements of the local area.”
“Any such proposal, wherever warranted, shall be examined and processed in accordance with the prescribed norms and availability of resources,” the government said—(KNO)
