Himachal’s strategy to tackle low enrolment: Changing subjects and merging schools

Diary Times News Service

Shimla, 07 August: In order to optimize academic resources and improve student outcomes, the Himachal Pradesh Directorate of Higher Education is working on a plan to shift subjects from senior secondary schools with low student enrolment to schools with higher numbers. The move has been taken as part of a comprehensive plan to address challenges posed by uneven student distribution in the state’s educational institutions.

The directive issued by Director of Higher Education Dr. Amarjeet Kumar Sharma requires district deputy directors to submit detailed admission data within two days. The directorate has sought separate information on subject-wise and class-wise enrollment from districts to identify subjects with low enrollment.

Departmental officials have highlighted that in many senior secondary schools, the number of students enrolled in certain subjects is very low. To address this, subjects with minimal student participation will be shifted to nearby schools with higher enrolment. The aim of this redistribution is to ensure that students get access to a wider range of subjects and a better learning environments.

After data analysis, a proposal will be prepared to redistribute teachers of the affected subjects to schools with greater demand. The initiative mirrors the recent state government decision to close 99 schools with zero students and merge 460 primary and secondary schools with five or less students. These schools will be merged with nearby schools within a radius of two to three kilometres and the process of shifting teachers from the merged schools to other institutions is already underway.

The Directorate’s proactive approach also includes plans to merge senior secondary schools with low overall enrolment with neighbouring institutions. This will include redeployment of teachers from the schools earmarked for merger, ensuring optimal utilisation of educational resources and providing a better learning environment to students.

Dr. Sharma emphasized that the initiative aims to enhance the quality of education in Himachal Pradesh by addressing the issue of low enrollment in certain subjects and schools. By consolidating resources and optimizing subject delivery, the Directorate hopes to create a more efficient and effective educational system that benefits all students in the state.

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