Why are government schools shutting down? Impact on vulnerable children
Nearly 94,000 government schools have closed in India over the past decade, leading to a significant decline in enrolment and disproportionately affecting Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and girls. The article attributes this trend to 'rationalisation' policies, which often disregard the neighbourhood school mandate of the Right to Education Act. States like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir are worst affected, with many children losing access to education. The closures highlight systemic failures, raising questions about the Centre's role in enforcing RTE norms and ensuring equitable access to education.
Key Points
- Approximately 94,000 government schools have closed in India over the last decade, leading to a 2.26 crore decline in enrolment.
- The closures disproportionately affect children from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and girls, who rely heavily on government schools.
- Rationalisation policies, while advocated by NEP 2020, often violate the neighbourhood school mandates of the Right to Education Act.
- States like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir are among the worst affected, with many children losing access to schooling.
- The trend raises questions about the Centre's responsibility in enforcing RTE norms and ensuring equitable access to education across states.
Exam Facts
- NITI Aayog report states 94,000 government schools closed in a decade.
- UDISE+ figures show government schools fell from 11.07 lakh (2014-15) to 10.17 lakh (2023-24).
- The Right to Education Act (RTE) 2010 mandates neighbourhood schools and free, compulsory education.
- Madhya Pradesh recorded 7.37 lakh children with no school records.
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