BJP govt’s apathy evident as nearly 4,400 govt schools closed in IIOJK
Srinagar: In a glaring display of the BJP-led Indian government’s neglect towards the education sector in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), nearly 4,400 government-run schools have been closed in the territory.
According to Kashmir Media Service, while the Indian authorities are citing ‘zero or extremely low’ student enrollment in these schools, the drastic reduction in the number of schools severely limits educational opportunities for the youth of IIOJK, further exacerbating the territory’s socio-economic challenges.
Official documents reveal that out of a total of 23,117 government-run schools in IIOJK, 4,394 have been removed from the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) data. An official stated that the overall count of public schools has decreased because many of these institutions, which had no or very few students, were merged with nearby public schools.
The primary schools category was particularly hard-hit, with the number of functional government primary schools dropping by nearly 30 percent. Initially, there were 12,977 government primary schools in IIOJK, but now only 8,966 remain operational.
In addition to primary schools, 392 government middle schools, three high schools, and one higher secondary school were also removed from the UDISE+ list. The decline in government schools is stark, reflecting a broader trend of educational neglect by the Indian authorities.
Private and other educational institutions have also been affected. Out of a total of 5,688 such schools, only 5,555 are currently functional. Overall, IIOJK used to have 28,805 government and private schools, but this number has now dwindled to 24,279.
This widespread closure and merging of schools in IIOJK highlight the Indian government’s apathy towards the educational needs of Kashmiri students.
