AMN
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the Odisha government and the Centre on a media report that a large number of government-run primary and upper primary schools have been closed in the state due to less number of students.
Taking suo motu cognizance of the report, the Commission asked Chief Secretary of the state and Union HRD Ministry to submit a report on the issue within eight weeks. The NHRC said, the media report has raised the issue of Right to Education of young students, mostly belonging to poor families of Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and other backward communities.
The Commission observed that it appears that government schools are lacking basic amenities and the number of teachers is also not adequate. It said, opening of private schools cannot be a solution.
In the year 2016-17, as many as 828 government primary and upper primary schools were shut down in the state for having less than 10 students each.