A
government appointed committee in its report on ‘Structural Upgradation and
Reorganisation of School Education in Karnataka’ has said that 42 per cent of
the higher primary schools (HPS) that have less than 30 students in Class VI
and VII should be merged with nearby schools.The
report that was recently submitted by the committee, which is headed by R
Govinda, the vice-chancellor of National University of Educational Planning and
Administration, is open for feedback from the public.The
report suggested that out of the 6,712 HPS, 2,820 HPS should be merged with
nearby schools.“It
is desirable to consider the present enrollment of students in classes VI and
VII in the HPS for making them viable (for upgradation),” the report said.The
panel had cited reasons of optimal utilisation of available resources, pooling
of facilities to ensure availability and better utilisation of teachers’
services, for shortlisting 6,712 HPS.
“It is desirable to merge the schools having 30 or less students, in Classes VI
and VII with nearby schools with an exception of schools situated in places
where children cannot travel due to natural barriers,” the report states.Further
it states that only 42 per cent of 6,712 HPS having less than 30 students in
Classes VI and VII can be merged with nearby schools (that have Class VIII) as
per Right to Education rules.The R
Govinda committee was formed to understand how the school education system
could be changed to fall in line with the Constitutional mandate of providing
elementary education for children aged six to 14.The
existing model in the state considers Classes I to VII as primary school
education.In
terms of infrastructure, the report says adding Class VIII to HPS would require
22,718 classrooms and 14,958 teachers in government schools.Interestingly,
the report recommends continuation of services of teachers from merged schools
in the upgraded schools.
The R Govinda committee report can be accessed on www.ssakarnataka.gov.in.
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