CG News: Revised Schedule for Rationalisation
According to an order issued by the Directorate of Public Instruction, a revised schedule has been set for the rationalisation of schools and teachers in the district. As per the order, after marking schools by the block-level committees of Bemetara, Saja, Berla, and Nawagarh blocks by May 7th, the list of schools was sent to the district-level committee by May 12th. This list was then forwarded to the Director of Public Instruction by May 15th. The school inspection process by the Public Education Office was completed by Sunday. The state government will release the list of schools for rationalisation on May 25th. Until these processes are complete, the lack of transparency is evident, with lists not being displayed publicly, even from representatives.
From 1300+ Schools to Under 1000
The four blocks have 743 primary schools: 191 in Bemetara, 153 in Berla, 205 in Saja, and 194 in Nawagarh. Similarly, there are 387 middle schools: 98 in Bemetara, 88 in Berla, 104 in Saja, and 97 in Nawagarh. There are 67 high schools: 21 in Bemetara, 16 in Berla, 11 in Saja, and 19 in Nawagarh.Information Being Gathered
There are 101 higher secondary schools: 21 in Bemetara, 23 in Berla, 24 in Saja, and 19 in Nawagarh. According to sources, 53 primary schools in Bemetara block will be merged with middle schools. Similarly, 13 high schools and 3 higher secondary schools will be merged. In Berla block, 60 primary, 52 middle, 6 high, and 2 higher secondary schools will be affected. Similarly, 85 schools in Saja and 80-85 in Nawagarh are under rationalisation. The district currently has over 1300 schools, which may reduce to under 1000 after the proposal is passed.Previously Halted Due to Controversial Process
The 2024 order has been reinstated after a year. The process was previously controversial. Attempts to conceal information about this process are underway, leading to opposition from teachers’ organisations. According to the order issued by the School Education Department, schools operating on the same premises will be rationalised, for which seven points have been defined. Primary and middle schools with fewer than 10 students will be merged with nearby schools. Two schools of the same level with close proximity and low enrolment will be merged. For such schools, the criteria are 500 meters in urban areas, 30 students, and in rural areas, less than 10 students within one kilometre.
Approved Posts Also Affected, Many Posts to be Eliminated
According to the prepared setup for government schools in the four blocks, a total of 7790 posts are sanctioned, while 5031 are currently filled. 2759 posts are vacant. The rationalisation of teachers will also take place, which may lead to a reduction in sanctioned posts. DEO Dr. Kamal Kapoor stated that the district’s list has been submitted to the government. It is not appropriate to disclose information at this time. The list will be released by the government.
