4 days ago
Bengal Reviews Future of 4,133 Zero-Enrolment Schools
Bengal has thousands of schools where no children are currently enrolled.
The government says many classrooms, buildings and teachers are therefore being left unused.
It has asked district teams to inspect every such school.
The teams must decide whether a school can be brought back to life or used for another public purpose.
Possible new uses include health centres, training centres and community facilities.
The government says it has not ordered all the schools to be closed or converted.
Some officials and others worry that the schools should be revived instead.
They say many parents prefer English-medium, CBSE or ICSE schools, making revival difficult without a proper plan.
Bengal has 4,133 of India’s 5,663 zero-enrolment schools, according to the latest UDISE+ report.
District committees headed by district magistrates must inspect the schools and submit recommendations within 30 days.
Officials will assess whether each school can be revived or converted into another public facility.
Possible alternative uses include training centres, health centres, veterinary units, livestock shelters and community facilities.
The plan has sparked debate over whether the government should prioritise making the schools attractive, including through English-medium education.
- Who
- The Bengal school education department, district administrations and committees headed by district magistrates are reviewing the schools.
- What
- The government is assessing 4,133 zero-enrolment schools for possible revival, restructuring or alternative public use.
- Where
- Across Bengal, including urban areas such as Calcutta.
- When
- The latest UDISE+ figures cover the situation cited in the report, and district committees must submit their reports within 30 days of the order issued on Wednesday.
- Why
- The government says school infrastructure and teachers are underused, while officials must also ensure children retain access to nearby schools under the Right to Education.
Revive the Schools
Repurpose Unused Facilities
Government priority
Revive the Schools
Critics argue that the government should first explore ways to revive the schools rather than convert them into other facilities.
Repurpose Unused Facilities
The government says committees will examine revival wherever feasible but must respond to unused buildings, land and teachers.
How to attract students
Revive the Schools
Some officials say revival requires a proper policy, including genuinely improving English-medium teaching and aligning the syllabus with CBSE or ICSE standards.
Repurpose Unused Facilities
Other officials say attracting pupils may be nearly impossible because many parents prefer English-medium schools and existing state-aided English-medium schools draw fewer students.
Education access
Revive the Schools
Those favouring revival emphasise keeping schools available to local children and maintaining nearby education options.
Repurpose Unused Facilities
The government says district authorities have been instructed to ensure students are not deprived of education and continue to have schools near their homes.
Key facts
- Zero-enrolment schools in Bengal
- 4,133
- Zero-enrolment schools in India
- 5,663
- Teachers attached to these schools
- About 19,052
- Review deadline
- Reports must be submitted within 30 days
- Committee leadership
- Each district committee will be headed by the district magistrate
- Possible alternative uses
- Training centres, health centres, animal resource facilities and community or public-service facilities
- Schools with one teacher
- About 6,000 schools in Bengal
Quotes
A senior West Bengal government official
Senior official discussing unused infrastructure at zero-enrolment schools
“The government has not issued a blanket order to convert the schools into other kinds of facilities. Wherever possible, the committees can recommend steps to revive the schools.”
telegraphindia.com
“A significant volume of infrastructure is lying unused, including land and classrooms”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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