NHRC notice to Maharashtra govt over 1300 schools' closure

NEW DELHI: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the Maharashtra government over its decision to close down over 1300 zila parishad owing to the reduced number of students and poor education standards.

The NHRC issued the notice through its Chief Secretary after taking suo motu cognizance of a media report that the Maharashtra government education department has decided to close down zila parishad schools with less than 10 students and shift them to other nearby schools.

The state government has been given four weeks for a detailed report on the matter.

The commission has observed that the reported decision of the state education department would adversely affect the students, particularly, those coming from the rural background and cannot afford education in private schools.

The commission directed that before implementation of this decision, a thorough study on the issue is required to be conducted so that the right to basic education of the children is not violated.

Reportedly, this decision is likely to affect more than 1,300 schools.

The decision may increase the distance of the school from the house of a student, which should be less than one kilometer till Class V and less than three kilometer for class VI to VIII, as per the provisions of the Right to Education Act.

According to the media report, a school in the Raireshwar area will be closed in pursuance of the latest directions and the students studying in the school will go to another school situated in Rairi area, which is 35 kilometers away.

The teacher, posted at the Raireshwar school, has stated that it will be impossible in the monsoon for the students to attend school.

Two other schools, situated in Malwadi and Keshavnagar, would also meet the same fate.

Reportedly, the teachers and the parents have criticized the education department's decision, calling it absurd, unjustified and disastrous for the children.

They have stated that a number of students would not be able to continue their studies due to this decision.