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Bhubaneswar: After facing severe criticism during the Assembly proceedings in the winter session, the Odisha Government decided to change its decision on merger of schools in scheduled and non-scheduled areas.
The Odisha government has said that the primary and upper primary schools having less than 15 students, and not 20 as decided earlier, will be identified for closure or merger in scheduled areas and also in the backward Kalahandi-Bolangir- Koraput (KBK) region. Therefore, the norms fixed for closure or merger of schools in scheduled areas will also be applicable for such institutes located in the KBK region.
As per a revised notification issued in this regard on Monday, government elementary and secondary schools having enrolment less than or equal to 20 would be consolidated with nearby schools irrespective of distance.
Slightly revising the March order, the School and Mass Education department in its latest order mentioned - The words "Government Elementary and Secondary Schools having enrolment less than or equal to 20 to be consolidated with nearby schools irrespective of distance" may be read as "Government Elementary and Secondary Schools having enrolment less than or equal to 15 in Scheduled and KBK areas and less than or equal to 20 in other areas to be consolidated with nearby schools irrespective of distance".
Moreover, the word "20 or less" for scheduled areas may be read as "15 or less in Scheduled and KBK areas".
The government had earlier decided to close or merge schools having less than 20 students there; however, the Opposition parties noted that the government has changed norms to close down schools in scheduled and non-scheduled areas, but it has not taken the backward KBK region into consideration. In view of this, the previous notification issued in this regard has been revised.
The KBK region now has eight districts - Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Bolangir, Subarnapur, Kalahandi and Nuapada.
READ | Closing Down Schools Not Our Aim, Govt Focusing On Quality Education: Odisha Minister
