Sindhuli: Sindhuli District Education Office (DEO) has decided to merge 16 government schools of the district with their nearby schools considering the inadequate number of students.

The DEO informed that considering the low number of students and distance between schools, the office has decided to merge 16 schools of the district. Under the plan, two or three existing schools will be combined to make one.

District Education Officer Chandra Prasad Luitel said that those 16 schools would be merged within the current academic session and fiscal year.

DEO would conduct study of schools beyond these 16, to see i f they also need to be merged, he added.

"DEO has already completed necessary preparations and mapping works to implement the merger ahead", said Luitel.

He informed that the report prepared on the basis of mapping has been sent to the Depart of Education and the process will move forward after the DEO receives directive from the department.

According to the school mapping, Thakur Primary School at Besare, Barahi Primary School at Lekharka and Kalika Primary School at Sujing of Bhadrakali Village Development Committee will be merged in the second one.

Likewise, Marghatti Primary School is planned to be merged with a higher secondary school located at Mainani and Baljyoti Primary School will join another primary school at Mangalpur.

Bardethakur Primary School of the district headquarters will be merged with a secondary school of Panitanki, Keetenitar Primary School of Beladada with Saraswoti Higher Secondary School. Similarly, a primary school of Gaurithaple will be combined with another primary school at Jikhanu village and Gyanmala primary school of Jalkanya VDC with a primary school at Taruphedi.

Likewise, a primary school at Bagchheda will be merged with a lower secondary school at Tintale, Kalika Primary School of Kamalamai Municiplaity and Kalimati Primary School with Fosretar Higher Secondary School and Mulkot and Nawajyoti Primary School with Ratamata Lower Secondary School of Parewadada.

According to DEO Luitel, primary schools of Nepalthok and Dumja will be merged with a higher secondary school located at Guth Bazar.

Luitel said that though the government has planned to build at least one primary school at each ward to provide easy accesses to education, more than two schools are running within some wards while there are some wards without a single school.

source: RisingNepal, 20 Nov 2011