Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, March 3: In view of repeated failure of district authorities to close down schools having less than five enrolments, the state government has once again issued an order to the districts with an eight-point guideline to ensure that there are no dropouts.
The order directs the authorities to ensure that children of identified schools will have to be readmitted to the nearest schools. Siksha sahayaks have been specially drafted to make alternative arrangements and bring the children of closed schools situated in tribal and difficult terrain to the nearest available school. Such children may also avail transportation facility for the purpose, the notification suggested.
The district project coordinators of the concerned schools will take the responsibility to ensure that the children do not drop out. Their transportation cost will be sanctioned in the name of the parents who will take their wards to the nearest school till the children are familiar with the new surrounding.
The concerned villagers may ask the district authorities and restart the closed schools if they assure the attendance of the required number of students in the school. The infrastructure created for the restarted schools will be handed over to the concerned panchayat. The school infrastructure should be managed further by the schools. The district authorities will ensure that the teachers posted in these sub-optimal schools are deputed to the school where children have been re-admitted.
As per the new guidelines, the school management committee (SMC) cannot be formed if the children are less than the required number. Therefore, no SMC should be allowed to operate accounts of closed schools. The district authorities have also been instructed to amend any rules or resolutions to close such schools.
