Kendrapara, July 7: Fortynine government-run primary schools here will be closed, owing to low student strength and steady dropout rate.

At a recent meeting, the school and mass education department has decided to shut down 49 primary schools, because of poor attendance.

Around 133 schools were found to have less than 25 students each. The remaining 84, owing to disadvantegeous location beside rivulets and creeks, averted closure.

Keeping in view the hardships students of such schools have to undergo, despite low attendance, we decided otherwise, said Nirmal Kumar Das, district project coordinator of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

“Teachers enjoy undeclared holidays because students don’t turn up for classes. We will merge these with other government-run schools in the vicinity. The teachers will be shifted accordingly,” said an official.

Over the years, the attendance in almost all these schools have declined.

As the department claims, 1.62 lakh students are enrolled in 1,900 government schools.

The overall enrolment figure is, however, believed to be on the higher side.

“Parents have stopped sending their wards to the primary schools. Instead, they prefer schools which offer better academic standard,” an official said.

Educationalist Basudev Das said primary education here has lost its sheen.

“Parents focus on private public schools for qualitative education,” he said.