Two Udupi government schools shut down for lack of students

Two Udupi government schools shut down for lack of students

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore,Aug 15, 2012 : Two government schools in Udupi, which recorded a student attendance of zero, had to be shut down. Nagendra Madhyastha, deputy director of public instructions (DDPI), said that the schools have been shut down temporarily because of shortage of students and will be re-opened next academic year if they get enough students. He added that at least 10 students should be willing to come to school for the schools to be re-opened.

The recently shut down schools are Mattu Lower Primary Government School in Udupi and Government Lower Primary School in Pajila in Karkala.

Further, the DDPI said that another school in Katpadi has very few students, but the department of public instructions has not yet confirmed it. He also said that student attendance is very good in all aided and private schools.

He said that a school in Vantyala in Brahmavar had to be shut down because it had only five students, but it was re-opened next academic year as it got more students. Today, Vantyala Government Lower Primary School has 9 students, he added.

Further, he said that as many as 20 schools in the district are in danger of being shut down, adding that most of these schools are government lower primary schools. The department will take another week to decide whether to shut down these schools or not, he said.

It is the department of public instruction’s responsibility to shift existing students to other schools before shutting down the school, he said. Stating that the department is trying not to shut down any more schools, he said that existing students must be moved to functional schools within one kilometer if the decision to shut down a school is taken.

Government lower primary schools in Argodu, Mavinkaru, Muvinguli, Chungigudde, Konki, Nandanavana, and Balagona in Baindur Block; Surimannu, Meeyaru, Kusrukatte, Kambalagudde, and Peraldabettu in Karkala Block; and lower primary schools in Balmane, Nadaburu, Neramballi, and Hanja in Kundapur Block have very few takers.

Udupi has a total of 618 government primary schools, 106 government high schools, and 72 aided schools, he informed.