10 schools shut in Baglung amid declining student numbers

KATHMANDU: Jaimini Municipality has shut down 10 schools following a significant decrease in student enrollment.

The municipality has immediately decided to close five schools, while the remaining five will be closed starting from the next academic session, after restructuring.

The teaching positions from the five closed schools have been reassigned to other schools, and only one teaching post has been maintained at these institutions.

According to Jaimini Municipality’s Deputy Mayor Harihar Sharma, the decision to consolidate schools and adjust teaching posts follows the “School Consolidation and Teacher Post Adjustment Directive 2080” and will be implemented in the upcoming academic session. Sharma explained that the consolidation aims to address the issue of teacher shortages in areas with higher student enrollment and ensure that schools with few or no students do not retain teaching posts.

The schools that were immediately closed are primary-level schools. Five schools with fewer than four students have been shut down, and 11 teaching posts have been redistributed to other schools. These schools include Janjyoti Primary School, Janabhawana Primary School in Dhamak, Tara Jyoti Primary School in Chhisti, Kwangdi Primary School in Chhisti, and Sarvodaya Primary School in Sakurva.

Among these, Sarvodaya Primary School and Tara Jyoti Primary School in Chhisti had zero students, while the other three had fewer than four students, leading to their closure and subsequent consolidation.

In response to the closure, Deputy Mayor Sharma stated, “To mitigate the impact on students in remote areas, we have introduced the ‘Lead School’ concept with residential facilities. By consolidating schools at one location with boarding facilities, we can improve the quality of education and prevent wasted investment.”

Based on recommendations from the Education Committee, one teaching position has been retained for the five closed primary schools, which will be consolidated next year. Municipality Education Officer Khem Prasad Acharya confirmed that these adjustments are in line with the restructuring plan.

The schools with only one retained teaching post are Jamini Primary School in Kushmisera, Siddhiganesh Primary School in Kushmisera, Ekta Primary School in Payuthanthap, Divyajyoti Primary School in Dhamak, and Shankar Primary School in Rangkani.

Due to increasing migration, the municipality has been facing declining student numbers. Two years ago, it introduced the concepts of “Lead Schools,” “Residential Schools,” and “Learning by Doing” along with technical studies. The municipality is focused on connecting students and parents with income-generation opportunities and developing schools with residential facilities, aiming to establish a central educational hub in the area.

To further this initiative, Jaimini Municipality-5, Binamare has promoted the Sarvodaya Janak Secondary School as a “Lead” school, positioning it as a key institution for the region’s educational development.