File picture of a few students at a government school in Ghorashala on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar, Oct. 24: A report submitted to the school and mass education department revealed around 12,409 government schools in the state have less than 25 students.

The District Information System for Education (DISE) data submitted by the Odisha Primary Education Programme Authority (OPEPA) to the school and mass education department stated this. There are 73,000 primary and upper primary schools in the state. The state government has issued showcause notices to these schools asking them as to why they should not be permanently closed.

Earlier, too, the department had issued similar showcause notices to 165 schools that had less than five students.The district project coordinators have been directed to visit the schools personally and ascertain the exact number of students in the schools and reasons for such dismal figures.The coordinators have also been directed to consult and discuss the matter with the district collectors concerned by October 31.

The state government is planning to shut down schools that have less than five students and accommodate the pupils in other schools within a distance of 2-3kms.

Teachers of these schools, too, will be transferred to a nearby school said a senior official of the school and mass education department

“It is difficult to keep such schools running due to the skimpy strength. The government is facing difficulty in providing teachers, mid-day meals and other logistics according to the provisions of the Right to Education Act, which provides for free and compulsory education for children between six and 14,” said the official.

Majority of these schools are in Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kandhamal, Sundargarh ,Khurda, Koraput , Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Sambalpur, Sonepur, Balangir, Boudh, Angul, Baleswar, Bargarh, Mayurbhanj, Cuttack, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kalahandi, Malkangiri and Nayagarh, Dhenkanal, Jharsuguda Keonjhar and Deogarh, sources in the department said.

Educationists attribute the low strengths in government schools to their falling standards in terms of quality of teaching and lack of infrastructure.

According to the 2013-14 DISE data, only 29.79 per cent schools have playgrounds and only 27.88 per cent schools have electricity.

Only 85.44 per cent schools have library, while 16.58 per cent schools have computers.

Similarly, only 86.01 per cent schools in the state have toilets for girls.

More importantly, the promotional rate is abysmally low in secondary classes. Only 47.99 per cent students pass, which is yet another reason why parents do now wish to put their wards in government schools.

“Low-cost private schools have entered all nooks and corners of the state and are providing better facility and teaching than government schools. Unless the governments schools improve upon their basic infrastructure, fill up the vacancies with qualified teachers and enhance the learning capacities of the students, it will be tough for them to survive The state government must read these symptoms, find out the gaps and address the problem immediately,” said Prashant Jena, a retired headmaster.