BIRATNAGAR: Morang District Education Office has decided to shut some schools and merge some because of less number of students and poor infrastructure.

According to Acting District Education Officer Raj Kumar Thapa, a dozen schools will be shut permanently and as many with fewer number of students will be merged in the first phase.

Satya Narayan Primary School and Baal Mandir Primary School in Biratnagar, Panchayat Primary School in Dangraha and Janata Primary School, Sungabha Primary School and Gram Devata Primary School in Bhaudaha are among the schools that will be merged.

Miklajung Primary School in Ramite Khola and Maseni Primary School in Nocha are among the schools which the DEO has decided to shut.

The DEO took the decision after monitoring the schools and holding discussions with the

stakeholders.

“The government cannot afford to appoint four to five teachers just to teach 10 students,” Thapa explained.

The decision to shut schools, however, has not gone down well with the guardians. But Thapa said DEO was forced to take the decision, as it was left with no other option. “The decision in no way means to trouble parents or the children,” Thapa said. “We will do the needful to transfer students to other schools which are near their previous schools so that they do not suffer.”

Many government schools, which were built years ago, are in a dilapidated condition, while several other schools do not have enough students. Running schools with fewer number of students means extra burden for the DEO, or the government for that matter, but guardians say some proper alternative must be sought instead of just closing down the schools.

source: the himalayan times,22 feb 2014