A recent NITI Aayog report revealed 94,000 government school closures, raising serious concerns over equitable access to education.
Current Status of Government School Closures
- School Closures: 94,000 government schools closed, averaging 25 closures daily over a decade.
- Enrolment Decline: Government school enrolment declined by 2.26 crore students nationwide.
- Shrinking Share: Government schools’ enrolment share fell from 71% to 49.24%.
- School Reduction: UDISE+ records government schools declining from 11.07 to 10.17 lakh.
- Private Growth: Private schools increased from 2.88 lakh to 3.31 lakh nationwide.
Reasons Behind Government School Closures
- School Rationalization: Nearly 94,000 government schools closed in a decade under rationalization; NEP 2020 promotes school complexes.
- Declining Enrolment: Government school enrolment declined by 2.26 crore; enrolment share fell from 71% (2005) to 49.24% (2024–25).
- Migration & Demographics: In Madhya Pradesh, 1.55 lakh children left school due to migration or displacement, reducing rural enrolment.
- Financial Constraints: Jammu & Kashmir merged over 4,300 schools to optimize resources amid declining enrolment and limited finances.
- Teacher Shortages: Jammu & Kashmir has nearly 13,000 teacher vacancies, while many schools operate with multi-grade classrooms, affecting learning quality.
Factors Contributing to Declining Government School Enrolment
- Poor Quality: ASER 2024 highlights weak foundational learning; teacher absenteeism and multi-grade classrooms discourage enrolment.
- Infrastructure Deficits: UDISE+ 2023–24 reports persistent sanitation, electricity and digital gaps, especially in rural schools.
- Rise of Private Schools: Private schools increased from 2.88 lakh to 3.31 lakh (2014–15 to 2023–24), attracting parents.
- Socio-economic Factors: Madhya Pradesh’s 1.55 lakh migrant children illustrate poverty and migration-driven school dropouts.
Impact of Government School Closures
- Access Reduction: J&K’s 4,300 school mergers forced children to travel 4–6 km, violating RTE neighborhood school norms.
- Higher Dropouts: Madhya Pradesh’s 11.38 lakh at-risk children highlight increasing dropouts, especially among girls and tribal communities.
- Growing Inequality: Government school enrolment declined by 2.26 crore, disproportionately affecting SCs, STs, OBCs and poor households.
- Learning Loss: 13,000 teacher vacancies in J&K increased multi-grade teaching, reducing classroom attention and learning outcomes.
- Social Impact: Closure of 94,000 schools weakens Article 21A, increasing child labour and intergenerational poverty.
Government Initiatives to Strengthen School Education
- Samagra Shiksha: Integrated school education scheme providing infrastructure, teacher training, inclusive education, and digital learning support.
- PM POSHAN: Mid-Day Meal Scheme improving nutrition, attendance, retention, and learning outcomes among school children.
- PM SHRI Schools: Develops 14,500 model schools aligned with NEP 2020, promoting holistic and quality education.
- NIPUN Bharat & Vidya Pravesh: Promote foundational literacy and numeracy through play-based early childhood learning and school readiness.
- DIKSHA Platform: National digital platform offering e-content, teacher training, QR-enabled textbooks, and multilingual learning resources.
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Challenges in School Rationalisation
- Limited Consultation: RTE 2009 mandates community participation, yet many school closures bypass SMCs, Gram Sabhas and parents.
- Poor Connectivity: J&K’s 4,300 school mergers force many children to travel 4–6 km daily without transport facilities.
- Teacher Shortages: J&K’s 13,000 teacher vacancies continue despite rationalisation, increasing multi-grade classrooms and learning gaps.
- Weak Planning: Madhya Pradesh’s 11.38 lakh at-risk children expose enrolment-based planning ignoring migration and social vulnerabilities.
Way Forward
- Inclusive Rationalisation: Follow NEP 2020 by preserving neighbourhood schools and conducting social impact assessments before mergers.
- Strengthen Schools: Fill teacher vacancies, modernise infrastructure, and leverage PM SHRI and Samagra Shiksha for quality improvement.
- Improve Learning: Implement NIPUN Bharat, continuous teacher training, competency-based education, and regular foundational learning assessments.
- Community Participation: Empower School Management Committees under RTE 2009 and strengthen Gram Panchayat and parent oversight.
- Evidence-Based Planning: Use GIS mapping, transport support, social audits, and UDISE+ data before rationalisation decisions.
The success of school reforms lies in building better schools, ensuring “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” leaves no child behind in India’s journey towards inclusive development.
Reference: The Hindu
PMF IAS Pathfinder for Mains – Question 770
Q. The government school closures are not merely a governance challenge, but a question of educational equity and constitutional justice. Critically examine the factors driving school closures in India and suggest measures to make school rationalisation inclusive and child-centric. (250 Words) (15 Marks)
Approach
- Introduction: Write a contextual introduction about the closure of government schools in India.
- Body: Write about the key factors driving school closures in India, their impact, and suggest measures to make school rationalisation inclusive and child-centric.
- Conclusion: Emphasise neighbourhood schools, equitable rationalisation, quality public education, community participation, and child-centric governance to strengthen educational justice.
