Itanagar: In a move aimed at rationalising educational resources, the Arunachal Pradesh government has ordered the closure of 386 government schools across various districts of the state that have reported zero student enrolment for the current academic year.
The order, issued by the Department of Education on Monday, follows an extensive audit of Universal District Information System for Education (UDISE) data which revealed a substantial number of non-functional schools with no enrolled students.
The closure is intended to optimise the deployment of teaching staff and infrastructure.
According to the notification and annexure released by the department, affected schools span nearly every district of the state, including remote and border areas such as Kurung Kumey, Upper Subansiri, Tawang, Anjaw and Changlang. The list includes government primary, upper primary, middle and secondary schools, many of which have remained inactive for years.
According to the official annexure, the highest number of closures have taken place in West Kameng (73), Papum Pare (50), West Siang (31), Upper Subansiri (28) Siang (28) and East Kameng (23).
Other affected districts include Kurung Kumey (22), Changlang (16), Upper Siang (15), Pakke Kessang (12), Lower Subansiri (10), Leparada (12), Keyi Panyor (12) and Tawang (11).
Fewer closures were recorded in districts like Kra Daadi (8), Shi-Yomi (7), Lower Siang, Tirap, Kamle and Anjaw (5 each), Capital Complex (4), East Siang (2) and Namsai and Dibang Valley (1 each).
The department noted that several of these schools had not enrolled a single student over multiple academic sessions, raising questions about their continued administrative and financial viability.
“These closures will enable better utilisation of resources in functional schools with active enrolment,” a senior education department official said, adding that the move is part of the state’s broader school rationalisation policy.
The department has directed all concerned deputy directors of school education (DDSEs) and block education officers (BEOs) to take immediate action for the physical closure of the listed institutions and redeployment of staff wherever applicable.
Officials clarified that students, if any, who may have recently migrated to these institutions will be relocated to nearby functional schools to ensure uninterrupted education.
The notification also mentioned that the decision aligns with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasises consolidation and efficient functioning of schools for improved learning outcomes.
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