Students not coming to schools; 1671 schools shut down

DEHRADUN: As many as 1671 schools were shut down in the last few years in Uttarakhand due to the lack of students, a recent report said. This has been officially confirmed in the figures released by the state education directorate. According to experts, the released figures show the crisis facing the state's education sector.

There are now just 10 or fewer pupils enrolled in 3,573 schools. The number of schools where only one student attends class is 102. The highest number of schools were shut down in Pauri district. 315 schools have stopped functioning in the district. Udham Singh Nagar district had the lowest number of schools closed- 21 schools.

The Directorate of Public Education had recently asked the District Education Officers for the list of schools shut down in various districts. National media had reported that Director of Public Education Banshidhar Tiwari had said that the buildings of government schools that ceased operations would be used as Anganwadi centres and homestays.