As many as 4,400 government-run schools in Jammu and Kashmir have been shut down due to poor enrollment of students, according to media reports on Thursday. The reports noted that out of the 23,117 government schools in the region, 4,394 have been removed from the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) data.
According to a report by Kashmir Observer, schools with low or no student enrollment have been merged with nearby public schools.
The School Education Department identified over 1,200 government schools with low student enrollment and proposed their merger based on the catchment areas and student feasibility. In April 2022, the department announced plans to merge 720 government-run schools with inadequate student enrollment.
Primary schools most affected
The primary school category was the most affected, with the total number of government primary schools decreasing by nearly 30 per cent. Following mergers there are now 8,966 schools that remain operational, down from 12,977 government primary schools.
Additionally, 392 government middle schools, three high schools, and one higher secondary school have been deleted from the UDISE+ list. The data also show that of the 5,688 private and other educational institutions, only 5,555 are currently functional.
Jammu and Kashmir previously once had 28,805 government and private schools. The number now stands at 24,279 schools, indicating a significant reduction of 4,526 schools.
This story was originally published in business-standard.com. Read the full story here.
