Himachal's School Merger Proposal to Address Student-Teacher Imbalance

Himachal Pradesh Education Minister Rohit Thakur announced a proposal to merge underpopulated high and secondary schools in the next cabinet meeting. This move aims to tackle student-teacher imbalances and foster competition between government and private schools amidst declining enrollments.

In a strategic move to address student-teacher imbalances, Himachal Pradesh Education Minister Rohit Thakur proposed merging high schools and secondary schools with fewer students at the upcoming cabinet meeting. Schools with less than 20 students and senior secondary schools with less than 25 students will be reviewed for potential merger or downgrading.

The minister highlighted the stark example of Senior Secondary School Hansa in Lahaul and Spiti district, where eight teachers cater to just two students. Officials have been tasked with assessing data across high schools to support this initiative.

This initiative mirrors a nationwide trend, as 76,000 schools have already undergone merger processes across India. Enrollment numbers in government schools have plummeted by 5.13 lakh over two decades, prompting discussions on fostering competition and improving educational quality between private and government institutions.

(With inputs from agencies.)