The information shared by the education minister Sakeena Itoo in the Assembly regarding 3192 government schools having less than 10 enrolments since 2022 with 2,518 teachers posted in them points toward an alarming situation. She was replying to a question by BJP MLA Ranbir Singh Pathania. To be more precise, 1,494 schools with 1,934 teachers reported less than 10 enrolments since 2022 in the Jammu division, while the Kashmir division reported 1,698 such schools with 584 teachers.
What is intriguing is the fact that 1732 government schools have been shut or merged in J&K just because the enrollment was very low. The trend needs to be relooked as closure of every government school means snatching away opportunities from children belonging to poor strata of society and those living in remote areas and rural belts having no alternatives for pursuing studies and schooling. Although the education minister has not divulged about the government’s plan to shut down more schools, surely the data shared has given an impression that the helmsmen are under immense pressure to mull on continuing the aforesaid practice.
The lower enrolment in government schools though is a matter of grave concern but this does not justify closure of schools in the name of rationalization. Before taking any further decision on closing more of such poor performing schools on account of meager enrolment figures the people at the helm should consider the fact that education cannot be reduced to a balance sheet.
These institutions at remote belts where imparting education is a difficult thing in the absence of such schools, the facility is not redundant, rather it acts as a lifeline for many across the Union Territory. It is evident from the history that the governments which spend wholeheartedly on education ultimately lead their country’s to new heights of progress and therefore the government in J&K should not adopt a policy on government schools considering monetary profits and losses rather it should come up with schools at places which are lacking the facility at the moment.
As far as the huge amount of salaries being spent on these schools is concerned, the same should be seen as an investment in human capital and not draining of the resources. The issue is quite significant and the decision of the government can change the course of the Union Territory as there is a lot of difference between educated youth and uneducated ones therefore government should divert funds to ensure that no more school faces closure because the ones having zero enrolment today can have 100s of students in the coming times.
All said and done, the closing of government schools on the aforesaid basis is not a pragmatic approach rather it be seen as a surrender.
