Arunachal Govt Shuts Down 600 Schools with Zero Enrollment, Plans to Close Colleges too

The Arunachal Pradesh government has embarked on mega education reforms initiative. The Government has shut down 600 schools that were either non-functional or had zero enrolment. The government plans to close down not just schools but colleges too where no students or very few students have enrolled.

Speaking exclusively to Northeast Live, Education Minister Pasang Dorjee Sona said, “This situation (the mushrooming of schools) impacts inventory and human resource management, posing a challenge for the government,” he said.

Not just schools, the Arunachal government is also considering closing non-functional colleges and polytechnic institutes. A survey will be conducted to identify such institutions, which will be shut down to prevent resource wastage.

Sona informed the Assembly that the government identified key issues hindering quality education, including the rationalization of teacher postings. The state aims to implement solutions to these problems, with rationalization being a priority for the next academic session.

As per reports by Arunachal Times, Arunachal Pradesh has over 2,800 government-run schools and faces a shortage of trained graduate and post-graduate teachers, especially in Mathematics and Science. The shortage is being temporarily managed under the Mukhya Mantri Shiksha Kosh (MMSK) scheme, with plans for permanent recruitment through the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC).

As per reports, the Education Minister criticized the Centre’s “one size fits all” approach under the Right to Education, stating that it does not suit Arunachal Pradesh’s context. Instead, the state government plans to promote inter-village schools with boarding facilities to optimize resource utilization.

As per reports filed by PTI, the government will engage with various stakeholders to find solutions benefiting students and ensure a comprehensive reform of the education sector. “Rationalization is a priority for us, and we hope to achieve this from the next academic session,” Sona said, outlining the government’s commitment to improving education quality.