West Bengal Shuts Over Nine Hundred Schools Due to No Students

School Closures

The West Bengal government has shut down 933 state-aided schools because they had zero student enrolment. School Education Minister Dipak Barman stated that this alarming problem grew over the last twenty years and became very severe in the past five years. The school education department noted that this lack of students left public school buildings and assets sitting empty and unused.

Official Survey

District magistrates must now form committees to physically check all these closed schools and check their buildings, classrooms, land, and basic facilities. These groups will also count how many teachers are still tied to these schools. The committees must send a full district-wise report with their recommendations within thirty days.

Future Plans

Minister Barman said the state is looking at whether some of these schools can be revived or restructured, while making sure no child loses access to schooling. Officials are also studying if empty buildings can be used for other public needs like health centres or training hubs, or run through public-private partnerships. However, Barman made it clear that the government does not want to hand these properties entirely over under the public-private model.