BHARAT GYAN VIGYAN SAMITI, RAJASTHAN
80/200, PATEL MARG, Mansarovar, Jaipur 302020
Phone: 0141-2783338, email:
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(Draft)
Scheme of Merger of Schools : A conscious denial of education to children of poor and vulnerable communities.
A study on merger of schools in 5 distictsof Rajasthan:
Jaipur City, Alwar, Pali, Baran, Bundi
Brief presentation of the Study
In the name of making the school system more sustainable and economically viable, the government of Rajasthan is expediting the process of finishing the Government School system. It has decided to bypass the local bodies and the School Management Committee which are constitutional bodies by merging the existing schools instead of increasing the number of government schools and improving their infrastructure as required for the proper implementation of the Right to Education Act.
The process of merger of schools began in August in mid session by bureaucracy who merely looked at statistics concerning schools behind closed doors, has till now deprived many children of education. In our opinion this is a well planned exercise to exclude poor and deprived children from education.
There are not more than 80,000 government schools in Rajasthan of which 17,000 were merged into other schools on 14th August 2014. This has resulted in the closure of 22% schools and has affected around 10 lakh children and several lakh teachers.
In the past 20-25 years various schemes in Rajasthan like Shiksha Karmi, Lok jumbish, DPEP had worked towards innovation and making schools available to each child in the neighborhood. This was later guaranteed by the Right to Education Act, 2009. The government of Rajasthan has disregarded all this to violate the law of the land by its action in merging schools.
The Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti (BGVS) has conducted a study of 102 schools in 5 districts on a questionnaire based survey. This includes 71 school in Jaipur city, 14 schools in Shahbad and Kishanganj Tehsil of Baran district, 6 schools in Bundi block, 6 schools in Lakshmangarh Tehsil of Alwar district and 8 schools in Raipur block of Pali district. The study was undertaken by PUCL interns in schools of Jaipur city and BGVS volunteers in Alwar, Boondi, Paali and Barran district.
Findings of the Study
Jaipur City
In all 9399 children were enrolled in 71 Schools of Jaipur City ( 31 Adarsh and 40 Merged),the enrolment in the merged school is 3417 out of which 917 children of the merged schools have stopped going to school. This is about 1/3 of the children in the merged school have stopped coming to school , this is about 10% of the total children enrolled.
Table .1 Percentage of children not attending schools schools
S.No. / % of Children not attending school / No. of schools1. / 90-100 / 14
2. / 50-89 / 4
4. / 35-49 / 2
5. / 1-34 / 6
6. / 0 / 15
TOTAL / 41*
*One Adarsh school is also included
In 14schools 90-100% children have stopped coming , in 4 schools it is 50 to 89%, in 2 schools 35 to 49%, in 6 schools to 34% and in 15 schools all the children are coming no
Data was not available of Rajakiya Balika Prathamika Vidyalaya, Bais Godam, C-scheme, Jaipur which was merged in Rajakiya Balika Prathmika Vidyalaya,Gautam marg, C-scheme, Jaipur as the school building was broken down as it was running in a rented building.
Champa Nagar was running in open and was merged in Naveen Champa Nagar which was running on the street. Then this school was shifted to Devari which is 3 km away so now there is more than 90% Children not attending school.
Table 2 . List of schools with 90 to 100% of children have stopped coming .
Adarsh School Number / Merged Number / School / Name of the school1 / Adarsh / Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, BABA Ramdev Nagar
1 / Merged / Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, Parbati Nagar
11 / Adarsh / Navin Champa Nagar
2 / Merged / Champa Nagar, located in Deveri school
111 / Adarsh / Rajkiya Uchh Prathmik Vidyalaya, Khatipura, Sanganer
3 / Merged / Rajkiya Uchh Prathmik Vidyalaya, kalbeliyo ki dhani, Sanganer
1V / Adarsh / Rajkiya uch Madhyamik Vidyalya Sodala Jaipur
4 / Merged / Rajkiya Prathmik vidyala SodalaJaipur
5 / Merged / Rajkiya Prathmik vidyala Ashokpura Jaipur
V / Adarsh / Rajkiya Prathamik vidyalaya, ganpati nagar, hasanpura
6 / Merged / Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, Mehra Basti
7 / Merged / Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, banjara Basti
8 / Merged / Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, Shubash chowk jaipur
9 / Merged / Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, DHANKA Basti
10 / Merged / Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, Sheikh Ali basti
V1 / Adarsh / Rajkiya Uchh Prathmik vidyalaya, bandri ka Nasik, purana amer road
11 / Merged / Rajkiya uchh Prathmik vidyalaya, ratan bihari ji ka mandir
V11 / Adarsh / Rajkiya Uchh Prathmik vidyalaya, Sector 8 pratap Nagar
12 / Merged / Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, Sindhi Kanwar nagar sector-8, pratap nagar
V111 / Adarsh / Rajkiya Balika uchh Madhyamik vidyalaya, nahri ka naka
13 / Merged / Rajkiya Balika Prathmik vidyalaya, hazi colony sikar house
List of schools of 50 to 89%, 35to 49% ,1 to 34% children not attending school annexnre
Factors responsible for children Children not attending school or leaving school
The merger of schools has created a situation that has forced many children to leave school.
The factors responsible for children Children not attending school have been:
Distance between Adarsh and merged school, or change of timings of the school, or caste ,or communal or merger of different Language schools . There can be mutiple factors at time it is Caste or and distance together or Communal and Gender. The table below gives the data of the causes of leaving school.
Table 3.Factors responsible for children Droput or leaving school
S.No. / Factors / Number of schools1. / Caste / 4
2. / Gender / 2
3. / Communal / 3
4. / Distance / 9
5. / Timing / 13
6. / Linguistic / 5
3.1. Caste Factor forChildren not attending school
There are 4schools in which the chidrenhave dropped out due to caste These schools were being run in Dalit localities and have been closed and merged with those being run in the localities dominated by Upper or dominant caste people. Facing discrimination, the Dalit children were discouraged from going to school.
Table 3.1 Children not attending school due to caste
SNo / School / Name of the school / Children not coming to school1 / Adarsh school / Rajkiya Uchh Prathmik Vidyalaya, Khatipura, Sanganer / 100%
Merged school / Rajkiya Uchh Prathmik Vidyalaya, kalbeliyo ki dhani, Sanganer
2 / Adarsh school / Rajkiya Uchh Prathmik vidyalaya, Raiger basti Jhotwara / 70%
Merged school / Rajkiya balika Prathmik vidyalaya, Dhanakiya Basti, jhotwara
3 / Adarsh school / Rajkiya Uchh Prathmik vidyalaya, Sector 2 MalviyaNagar / 25%
Merged school / 1 )Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, Malviya Nager Sector 1,2,3
2) Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, Sindhi anaj Mandi, malviya Nagar
It is evident from the table 3.1 ,100% children are not attending school, as in the case of the school in Kalbeliya ki Dhani was merged with another school in Khatipura(Jagatpura) which is 3 km from the Dhani so the children started going to a school that is 1.5 Km which is in Meena dominated locality. As a result all 23 children of Kalbeliya School have stopped going to school. The community had contributed a lot when the school was running , they had provided space for the school as well provided utensils for the Mid day meals. When the school closed down, the Utensils were also taken by the school authorities.
In the case of Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, Sindhi anaj Mandi, Malviya Nagar the schoolwas located in the Dalit Basti now as it is shifted to Rajkiya Uchh Prathmik vidyalaya, Sector 2 MalviyaNagar about half of the Dalit children have droped out as they don’t feel comfortable , in this school.
3.2 Children not attending school due to Gender.
Girlsschools have been were merged with Co-educational schools. The sole idea of opening school was to promote girls educaiton as the girls would not study with boys due to cultural reason, but by merging these schools the girls have been deprived of education.
Table 3.2Children not attending school due to Gender
SNo / School / Name of the school / Children not going to school1 / Adarsh school / Rajkiya Netaji subash uchh madhyamik vidyalaya, Moti Cutla / 30 %
Merged school / Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, Pannigram
2 / Adarsh school / Rajkiya Uchh Prathmik vidyalaya, Raiger basti Jhotwara / 70%
Merged school / Rajkiya balika Prathmik vidyalaya, Dhanakiya Basti, jhotwara
For instance, the Girl’s Primary school in Dhankiya Basti, Jotwara was merged with a Co-ed school in Raeger Basti where mostly boys study. This school had good strength of 165 girls of Muslims and Hindus studying together, and the community had provided space for the school in the Mandir, but after theremerger the girls students from Dhankiya School stopped attending school. The parents are very upset with the merger as they had taken lot of pains to convene the community for girls education and now most of the girls have droped out. This school is an example of communal harmony which was disturbed by the irrational decision of the authorities .
Similar is the case of Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, Pannigram where the Girls have left school because of merger
3.3. Children not attending school due to Religion/communal tension :-
There are 5 schools merged in which there is communal problem as the parents don’t feel it safe to send their children in the Adarsh school.
Table3.3: Children not attending school due to Religion/ Communal tension
SNo / School / Name of the school / Children not going to school1. / Adarsh school / Rajkiya Prathamik vidyalaya, ganpati nagar, hasanpura / 100%
Merged Schools / A)Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, Mehra Basti
(B)Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, banjara Basti
(C) Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, Shubash chowk jaipur
(D)Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, Sheikh Ali basti
(E)Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, DHANKA Basti
The 5 schools merged are not much far from the Adarsh school. They are all within 1 km from the Adarsh school. But still there is aChildren not attending school from the schools as the children are not ready to come to it. There is a Children not attending school of 151 children from these five merged schools.
Two major issues communal and caste
Students didn’t come to the Adarsh school as there was communal tensions between three basti’s namely Subhash chowk, Sheikh ali basti and Dhanka basti. These three bastis are Muslim dominating So the parents from these basti’s do not alloe their children to go to the Adarsh school at hasanpura. There was a murder of a Muslim child by the Valmiki people, that has created tension between the to communities.The communities don’t trust each other and Parents fear for their children and have stopped sending the children to school..
There is a caste issue also the school Ganpati nager Hasanpuara is dominated by the Valmikis, -, So people of the Mehra basti and Banjara basti consider themselves of upper caste and don’t allow their children to go to the Adarsh school.
3.4. Distance
There are 9 schools in which the children have stopped coming because the distance is more than 1Km, the Children not attending school is very high in these schools. Details are given below
Table 3.4:List of school of distance more than 1 km
SNo / School / Name of the school / Distance / Children not attending school1 / Adarsh school / Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, BABA Ramdev Nagar / Yes (4km) / 100 %
Merged school / Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, Parbati Nagar
2 / Adarsh school / PS.surya nagar jaipur west / 1.5 km / 58%
Merged school / PSMahesh nagar jaipur west
3 / Adarsh school / Rajakiya Ucchh Prathamik Vidyalaya, Kartarpura, Jaipur / 1.5 km / 73%
Merged school / Rajakiya Prathamik Vidyalaya, Saini Colony
4 / Adarsh school / Navin Champa Nagar / Yes / 67%
Merged school / Champa Nagar, located in Deveri school / 93%
5 / Adarsh school / Rajkiya Uchh Prathmik Vidyalaya, Khatipura, Sanganer / 3 km / 100%
Merged school / Rajkiya Prathmik Vidyalaya, kalbeliyo ki dhani, Sanganer
6 / Adarsh school / Rajkiya Prathmic Vidyalaya, Indra Jyoti Nager / 1.25 km / 41%
Merged school / Rajkiya Prathmic Vidyalaya, New Sanjay Nager 4
7 / Adarsh school / Rajkiya Uchh Prathmik vidyalaya, bandri ka Nasik, purana amer road / 1.5 km / 100%
Merged school / Rajkiya uchh Prathmik vidyalaya, ratan bihari ji ka mandir
8 / Adarsh school / Rajkiya Uchh Prathmik vidyalaya, Raiger basti Jhotwara / 2.5 km / 61%
Merged school / Rajkiya balika Prathmik vidyalaya, Dhanakiya Basti, jhotwara
9 / Adarsh school / Rajkiya Balika uchh Madhyamik vidyalaya, nahri ka naka / 2-3 km / 100%
Merged school / Rajkiya Balika Prathmik vidyalaya, hazi colony sikar house
The distance between the merged school and the Adarsh school in most cases is more than one km going up to 4 kms in some places. This distance has made it impossible for small children to reach the new schools. For instance, Government Upper Primary School in Parvati Nagar was merged with the Government Upper Primary School in Baba Ram Dev Nagar, Gujjar Ki Thadi which is at a distance of more than 4kms.
Apart from the distance, heavy traffic, which makes it impossible for children to cross streets, also discourages them from going to school.
In the case of school Rajkiya Balika Prathmik vidyalaya, hazi colony sikar house was mergred with Rajkiya Balika uchh Madhyamik vidyalaya, nahri ka naka the distance between the two schools i.e, more than 2 kms (approx. 2.5 kms).
In between the schools heavy traffic can be found at any hour of the day which makes it impossible for the children to come to the Adarsh school.. The people living nearby told that every now and then they witness serious accidents on the road and so this distance between the schools can prove to be dangerous for the students who fall under the age bracket of 6 to 12.
The children have not shifted to the Adarsh school , and their classes are still running in the Masjid, and the children are coming regularly , but their Mid day meals has stopped. The community has demaned that the school run in the manner it was running before nad the Mid Day meals should also be started again.
3.5.School Timings
There are 7 school which have been disturted by the change in timings , these school were running in shifts and the children find it very diffcult to do all day school .
Table 3.5 School Timings
SNo / School / Name of the school / Children not attending school / Shift1 / Adarsh school / Rajkiya Uch Madhyamic Vidyalaya,Padhad Ganj(still running in shifts) / _ / YES
Merged school / Rajkiya Prathim Vidyalaya,Padhad Ganj Urdu medium
2 / Adarsh school / Rajkiya Uch Madhyamik Vidyalya Fateh Tiba Raja Park / 15% / YES
Merged school / Rajkiya Uch Prathmic Vidyalaya,Purana Ghat sindhi colony
3 / Adarsh school / Rajkiya Madhyamik Vidyalya Sushilpura Jaipur / 16% / YES
Merged school / Rajkiya Prathmik Vidyalya Sushilpura Jaipur
4 / Adarsh school / Rajkiya Netaji subash uchh madhyamik vidyalaya, Moti Cutla / 18% / YES
Merged school / Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, Pannigram
5 / Adarsh school / Rajkiya Madhyamik vidyalaya, sukhpuriya / 6% / YES
Merged school / Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, sukhpuriya
6 / Adarsh school / Rajkiya Uchh Prathmik vidyalaya, Sector 2 MalviyaNagar / 25% / YES
Merged school / (A)Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, Sector 1,2,3
Merged school / (B)Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, Sindhi anaj Mandi, malviya Nagar
7 / Adarsh school / Rajkiya Uchh madhyamik vidyalaya, lakshman ki dungiri / YES
15 / Merged school / (A)Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, Lakshaman ki Dungri
16 / Merged school / (B)Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, fakeero ki Dungri
For instance, the merged school followed morning timings where as the Adarsh school follows a whole day timetable. As a result, the bigger children who helped their parents in their work during the day have stopped going to school. For example, the Government Upper Primary School in Pannigram which followed a morning Timetable has merged with the Government Upper Primary School in Moti Katla, with a day timetable. The bigger children from Pannigram have stopped coming to the Moti Katla School because help their parents in their work through the day.
3.6. Language
This is big issue that has arisen is with respect to the overall learning environment created in these school. Since the merger has merged primary and secondary schools, younger children are initiated by older children and are not comfortable in their learning environment. The Sindhi schools have also been affected as they have been merged with Sanskrit schools, the parents will eventually pull out their children as soon as it is realize that the children are not learning what they want.
Table 3.6 Language
S.No / School / Name of School / Children not attending school1 / Adarsh school / Rajakiya Uch Prathmik Vidalaya Jawahar Nagar / 0
Merged school / Rajkiya Sindhi Prathmik Vidalaya
2 / Adarsh school / Rajkiya Sindhi Balika Uch Madhmik Vidalaya Jawahar Nagar / 0
Merged school / Balika Prathmik Vidalaya Jawahar Nagar
3 / Adarsh school / Rajkiya Uch Madhyamic Vidyalaya,Padhad Ganj / 0
Merged school / Rajkiya Prathim Vidyalaya,Padhad Ganj Urdu medium
4 / Adarsh school / Rajkiya Netaji subash uchh madhyamik vidyalaya, Moti Cutla(U) / 25%
Merged school / Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, Pannigram(U)
5 / Adarsh school / Rajkiya Uchh Prathmik vidyalaya, Sector 2 MalviyaNagar(H) / 25%
Merged school / A)Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, Sector 1,2,3
(B) Rajkiya Prathmik vidyalaya, Sindhi anaj Mandi, malviya Nagar(S)
The change in the medium of instruction has also created a problem. For instance, the Urdu Medium Government Primary School in Pahadganj was merged with another government primary school also in Pahadganj where the medium of instruction in Hindi. The Urdu medium children are facing a big problem because of this. At present they have not dropped out but will do eventually when they realize that the language has changed.