The challenge for school consolidation: Balancing access and quality education, Pg17

Key Highlights:

• Approximately 94,000 government schools have been closed or merged across India over the past decade, as highlighted in a NITI Aayog report.
• This decline in government schools, from 11.07 lakh in 2014-15 to 10.13 lakh in 2024-25, coincides with an increase in private unaided schools.
• Overall student enrolment decreased by 2.26 crore to 24.69 crore between 2014-15 and 2024-25, with government school enrolment falling while private school enrolment rose.
• The number of teachers in schools increased from 90 lakh to over one crore during the same period, improving teacher availability despite fewer schools.
• The consolidation is largely attributed to India's demographic transition, with the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) falling to 2.0, below the replacement level of 2.1.

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Detailed Insights:

• The policy of expanding neighborhood schools, a long-standing focus, is now being re-evaluated by states where education is on the Concurrent List.
• Data from the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) reflects a nuanced story of declining enrolment and school numbers.
• Many government schools previously operated with very low enrolment or a single teacher, hindering comprehensive education and co-curricular activities.
• School consolidation aims to merge these under-enrolled institutions into better-equipped composite schools, offering improved infrastructure and qualified teachers.
• While consolidation can enhance educational quality and resource utilization, it raises concerns about equitable access for young children, girls, and students in remote areas due to increased travel distances.
• The success of school consolidation depends on balancing quality, efficiency, and equitable access, requiring provisions for safe transport and data-driven decision-making.

Key Concepts Involved:

• NITI Aayog: A policy think tank of the Government of India, providing strategic and technical advice on economic policy.
• Concurrent List: A list in the Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution, allowing both the Union and State governments to legislate on subjects like education.
• Total Fertility Rate (TFR): The average number of children born to a woman over her lifetime, indicating population growth trends.
• Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+): A comprehensive data collection system for school education in India, providing statistics on schools, enrolment, and teachers.