Himalaya Harbinger, Uttarakhand Bureau.
Rudrapur: In a poignant tale of educational distress, nearly 1277 government schools in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand teeter on the brink of closure, painting a grim picture of diminishing student numbers. Once grappling with the adversity of limited infrastructure and burgeoning student populations, these institutions now face an existential crisis due to a stark reversal of circumstances.
The narrative unfolds chronologically across various districts, revealing alarming statistics. In Almora, 372 schools report dwindling student numbers, with 244 primary schools having already shuttered due to negligible enrollments. Tadikhet and Salt each host 56 and 44 schools, respectively, with fewer than ten students. Bhainsiyachhana, Bhikiasand, Chaukhutia, Dhauladevi, Dwarahat, Hawalbagh, Langra, and Takula confront a similar fate, with a collective 212 schools on the precipice.
Bageshwar mirrors this trend, with 181 schools facing closure as their student count falls below the critical threshold. Pithoragarh is not far behind, grappling with 463 schools at risk of closure due to a dearth of students. The absence of teachers exacerbates the issue, with 379 primary and 74 junior high schools experiencing dwindling enrollments. CEO GS Saun said, “the reason behind the lesser numbers of students is the migration of the families”.
In Champawat, 161 schools hang in the balance, prompting CEO Meharban Singh to initiate awareness campaigns in a bid to reverse the declining trend. CEO Meherban Singh said, “Awareness programs are run to increase the students’ number”. Nainital district is not immune, with over 100 schools witnessing a drop in student numbers. Rampura Government School in US Nagar has already closed, compelling students to relocate to AN Jha Inter College.
Almora DEO Atresh Sapana acknowledges the challenges faced, stating, “Efforts are being made to increase student enrollment and provide better education”. Pithoragarh CEO Ashok Kumar Jukariya has written to the government seeking urgent teacher appointments, underscoring the critical need for academic facilitators.
Neeta Tiwari, Additional Director in-charge, Elementary Education, Kumaon Region, said, “Recently, I assumed the responsibility of Additional Director in-charge, overseeing the operations at the Uttarakhand School Education Secretariat in Ramnagar. I will be visiting the headquarters soon to gather comprehensive information on the status of these schools. Decisions will be made by established guidelines after informing the Directorate of Education”.
