Arunachal Education Minister bats for merging schools with low enrolment

Arunachal Pradesh's Education Minister, Pasang Dorjee Sona said that merging state-run schools with low enrollment could significantly address challenges in the public education system. During his visit to Yingkiong, the headquarters of the Upper Siang district, Sona outlined a pragmatic approach to merging schools, prioritizing infrastructure availability, land, and accessibility to essential amenities.

"Our vision is to provide quality education to every child from the elementary level by combining and merging primary schools. This will help enhance infrastructure, improve human resources, and implement other necessary interventions," Sona stated on Friday.

The minister’s remarks came after a three-day 'Chintan Shivir' held by the Education Department in August, where stakeholders discussed strategies to ensure quality education for every child in the state. Sona highlighted the mission to engage with communities across districts, gathering ideas to facilitate seamless implementation of educational programs.

"We need to pursue the merging of schools as a mission for a brighter future for our students," Sona remarked, underlining the shift from quantity to quality in education.

Advisor to the Education Minister, Mutchu Mithi, reiterated the focus on improving educational standards rather than simply increasing the number of schools. Meanwhile, Duhon Tekseng, the Deputy Director of School Education for Upper Siang, advocated for additional teachers, a science stream for Mariyang Government Higher Secondary School, and renovations of existing schools and teachers' quarters.

In a previous assembly session in July, Sona revealed that over 600 schools had either closed or merged in the state. Arunachal Pradesh currently boasts more than 2,800 government-run schools at various levels, with over 7,600 regular teachers and more than 5,900 teachers under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan program. However, the state faces a shortage of 414 trained graduate teachers and 186 postgraduate teachers, particularly in Maths and Science, according to officials.

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