Chandigarh, October 21: The Leader of Opposition Sukhpal Singh Khaira today termed the government’s step to merge 800 Govt. Primary Schools are being closed across Punjab, on the pretext of merger with nearby schools an “extreme retrograde step” and blatant violation of Right to Free Education RTE Act 2009, for the underprivileged and poor children.
Releasing the list of schools thus shut down to media in Chandigarh today, said the Punjab government has decided to close the said 800 GPS and merge them with nearby schools, on the plea that these schools had less than 20 students.
Khaira lambasted the Capt. Amarinder Singh government, that instead of providing quality and free education and increasing the number of schools in Punjab, his government has decided to close 800 schools which is gross discrimination with thousands of poor children.
He also criticized the Punjab government that the children of these 800 schools will now have to walk or travel many kilometers. This is gross violation of the RTE Act 2009, wherein a primary school should be situated in a distance less than 1 kilometer.
Labelling the step as anti people “Diwali” gift of Capt. Amarinder Singh, Khaira said it was also a cruel joke with the electorate of Gurdaspur Lok Sabha, where 133 GPS are being shut.
Khaira urged Capt. Amarinder Singh to intervene immediately and direct the Education Minister to withdraw this draconian notification and instead motivate people in the villages to increase the number of students in their respective schools, to fully avail the central grant under Sarb Sikhya Abhiyan (SSA).
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