Arunachal Pradesh Education Minister Pasang Dorjee Sona has announced plans to merge government schools with low enrollment to revitalise the state's public education system. This initiative aims to optimise resources, address teacher shortages, and improve the overall quality of education across the state.
With over 2,800 government-run schools, Arunachal Pradesh faces significant challenges in providing adequate facilities and qualified teachers, particularly in remote areas. The state’s education system has been grappling with the issue of low enrollment in several schools, hampered resource allocation and led to inefficient use of infrastructure and teaching staff.
Arunachal Pradesh's Education Minister, Pasang Dorjee Sona, spearheads an initiative to merge state-run schools with low enrollment to revamp the public education system. As part of this effort, 600 government schools have already been closed or merged with nearby institutions to optimise resource utilisation. The state aims to address the imbalance in teacher distribution, where 7,600 regular teachers and 5,900 Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) teachers are spread thin, particularly in schools with low enrollment. By concentrating teachers where they're needed most, the initiative seeks to improve the quality of education.
Better utilisation of infrastructure, land, and human resources. They addressed the shortage of 414 trained graduate teachers and 186 postgraduate teachers, especially in maths and science, ensuring access to clean drinking water, sanitation, and electricity in all schools. The minister emphasised that merging schools should be done based on the availability of infrastructure, land, and accessibility to basic amenities. This strategic approach aims to provide quality education to every child from the elementary level.
By consolidating schools, the government plans to reassess infrastructure, redistribute teachers, and realign educational resources to create a more effective system. The merger strategy is expected to benefit both students and teachers. Students will gain access to better facilities and more qualified educators, while teachers will work in more structured environments with larger student populations, improving the overall teaching-learning experience.
This initiative is critical when the state is working to build a stronger foundation for its education system. Arunachal Pradesh aims to provide its students with the tools and opportunities they need to succeed by streamlining its resources and focusing on quality over quantity.
