In a move that has stirred quiet resentment among the teaching community, 82 primary and junior schools in Lucknow district with less than 30 students have been merged into nearby institutions. The classes of these students will now commence at their new schools from July 1. Consent proposals for the merger were submitted by the School Management Committees (SMC) to the Block Education Officers (BEO).
Currently, around 1,618 government primary and junior schools operate in the city, with over 1.7 lakh students enrolled. Initially, the Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) office had proposed the merger of 133 low-enrollment schools. Out of these, 82 schools have proceeded with the merger after SMC approval, while the remaining 41 schools’ committees have opposed it.
Although district authorities have claimed that such move will not affect any student, many teachers allege that pressure tactics were used by officials, including BEOs and Academic Resource Persons (ARPs), to obtain consent. Teachers have long been protesting such decisions, warning that merging schools will disproportionately affect students from marginalised and poor families, who will now have to travel long distances to attend school.
Teachers also raised concerns about the lack of basic infrastructure in the receiving schools, including insufficient seating, desks, and classroom space. While many teachers remain subdued due to administrative pressure, voices from within the system highlight that the merger could lead to overcrowded classrooms and learning disruptions, consequences the authorities seem unscathed by.
