UP BASIC EDUCATION NEWS: Teachers Protest

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Teachers Protest School Closures in Uttar Pradesh

July 02, 2025 Fundamental Rights of Children, Government School Closure, Poor Students Education, Right to Education, Rural Education Crisis, School Merger Policy, Teachers Protest, up basic education No comments

In Uttar Pradesh, many teachers have gone to the High Court to stop the government from closing primary schools with fewer students. These schools are called "Prasiddh Vidyalayas" and are known in villages for giving free education to poor children. The teachers say the government does not want poor children to study. They feel the government now sees the education of poor children as a burden.

Teacher Himanshu Rana, who is leading the protest, says the decision to close schools is very dangerous. He says children aged 6 to 14 years will lose their right to free and basic education. This is against their fundamental rights given by the Constitution.

According to the new order, about 27,000 schools will be closed or merged across the state. This is a very big number. These schools are in villages where most children come from poor families. Many of them walk to school because it is nearby. If their school closes, they may have to walk very far or even stop going to school.

The Education Department and Village Development Department are asking school committees to agree to the closure. They are trying very hard to get signatures. Even the District Magistrate is getting involved. But many Village Heads, BDC members, and School Management Committee chairpersons are against the plan.

These leaders say this is not the right time. Panchayat elections are coming, and people are angry. If schools close now, it will hurt children and the village’s trust in the government.

The teachers also say that for many years, the government took money in the name of improving education. They talked about innovation, smart classrooms, better quality learning, and so on. But now, instead of making schools better, they are just closing them.

Himanshu Rana says closing schools is like giving up. He says, “If a part of the body becomes weak, we treat it. We don’t declare the whole person dead and start preparing for last rites.” He compares the school to a human body. Even if the student number is low, the solution is not to shut down the school. The solution is to improve it.

He says that instead of helping government schools, officers encouraged the opening of private schools. These schools charged money and slowly took away students. That is why the number of students in government schools went down. If the government had fixed problems like a lack of books, teachers, toilets, clean water, and proper classrooms, children would have stayed.

But now, instead of fixing the problems, the government is saying the school has fewer children and should be closed. Himanshu Rana and his group say this is not fair. It is not the fault of the children. It is not the fault of the parents. It is not the fault of the school. It is the fault of the system that didn’t support these schools.

Now the Education Department wants to merge schools. That means two or more small schools will be joined into one. But this will create many problems. Children will have to travel far. Some may not go to school at all. Teachers will have more students than they can handle. And the bond between the school and the village will be broken.

Many school buildings will be locked and unused. They may get damaged or misused. In many villages, schools are not just for education. They are also used as community centers during elections, health camps, and meetings. Closing them will hurt the entire community.

The Village Management Committees (VMCs), which are made up of local parents and leaders, are strongly opposing the move. They are saying that their voice was not heard before the decision. Many say that government officers are forcing them to sign the merger form. But they don’t want their village school to close.

Some teachers say the government is only looking at numbers. If there are fewer students, they say the school is not needed. But teachers ask – is this fair? Can education be counted only in numbers? What about the dreams of the poor children? What about their right to sit in a class, read a book, and learn something new every day?

Himanshu Rana and his team, known as the "Shiksha Sangharsh Morcha," are now trying to stop this policy. They are visiting schools, talking to people, and spreading awareness. They say that every child has the right to study. And every village has the right to have its school.

They believe that if proper steps are taken, student numbers can increase again. They suggest that schools should be given better classrooms, sports facilities, computer labs, trained teachers, and good mid-day meals. If children feel happy and safe in school, they will come back.

Many people in the village say that their children are too young to go far. If their school is merged and moved, they will not send their daughters. This may cause a big drop in girls’ education. That is another reason why the school merger plan is being criticized.

Parents say education is not just about books. It is also about care, trust, and connection. In small village schools, teachers know every student. They know their homes, their problems, and their strengths. This bond is lost in big schools.

The protest is getting stronger every day. Teachers are writing to the Chief Minister. They are using social media. They are going to court. They are doing everything they can to save the schools.

In court, the teachers are saying that this decision breaks the Right to Education Act. This law says that every child has the right to free education near their home. If the school is closed, this right will be taken away.

Education experts also agree that instead of closing schools, the government should work on fixing the problems. A school is not just about numbers. It is about hope. It is about the future. It is about giving every child a chance to dream.

Now the people are waiting to see what the High Court will say. Till then, teachers like Himanshu Rana and groups like Shiksha Sangharsh Morcha are standing strong. They are fighting not just for buildings, but for the future of poor children across the state.

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Sunday, June 22, 2025

UP Teachers Say No to School Merger

June 22, 2025 Basic Education UP, Education Movement, Government School News, primary school teacher, Right to Education, Rural Students, School Merger, Teachers Protest, UP Education Policy, up school news, Village Education No comments

The Uttar Pradesh Junior High School Teachers Association has started a peaceful protest against the school merger policy in the state. The government is trying to merge small primary and junior schools in different villages. But the teachers say this is not right. It will harm the future of poor children in villages. It will also create problems for teachers. The association has said that they will start a peaceful movement. They will not accept the wrong policy of merging schools. They said that giving free or low-cost education is not just a rule, it is a moral duty of the government.

In many villages, the nearest school is now being placed 2 or 3 kilometers away. The children who earlier walked a few minutes to school now have to walk long distances. This is particularly challenging for young children, especially girls. It is also unsafe. Some children may stop going to school. If they drop out, who will be responsible? The government should think about these problems before making such big changes. The teachers say that the merger system should stop immediately. Every village must have its school like before.

When schools are far away, small children may not attend regularly. Poor parents cannot send them by bus or car. They also cannot take them daily. Many children will miss school or leave it altogether. This is against the Right to Education law, which says that children should get primary education close to home. If the school is too far, it becomes hard to follow this law.

The teachers are not against improving education. They want better schools, too. But instead of closing village schools, the government should improve them. They should give more teachers, books, furniture, clean toilets, and drinking water. If schools become better, more children will come. But if schools are closed and children are sent far away, education will stop for many. This is not a smart step. It is a harmful step for village children.

The teacher union is also worried that this school merger is just a way to reduce teachers. When two schools are joined, one teacher post may be removed. This is unfair. Many teachers are working with a full heart. They love teaching. They want to serve children. But now they are scared for their jobs. Shiksha Mitras and part-time teachers are very tense. They do not know what will happen next.

Many villagers are also sad and angry. They say the school in the village is not just a building. It is the heart of the village. It is a place of learning, playing, and growing. When children go to a school in their village, parents are happy and feel safe. But now, when schools are merged and children are sent far away, parents feel helpless. Girl children may stop going to school. Parents may not allow them to walk 2–3 km daily. There are also safety issues and transport problems.

The teacher association wants to save education in villages. They want to meet leaders, MLAs, MPs, and ministers. They want to explain the problem in simple words. They want to request that the government take back this policy. They are saying: please let the schools run like before. Please help teachers and children. Please save the future of rural India.

Education experts also say that this kind of one-size-fits-all system is not good. Every village is different. Some villages have good roads. Others do not. Some areas are near forests or rivers. In such places, children walking 3 kilometers is not safe. The government should talk to teachers and parents before making big decisions. Teachers are the backbone of schools. If teachers are not respected, then education cannot be strong.

The Right to Education (RTE) rule says that children in classes 1 to 5 should not travel more than 1 km. For Classes 6 to 8, it should not be more than 3 km. But even this is too far for small kids, especially in rural areas. When a child walks long distances daily, they get tired. Their health and studies suffer. The merger system is not helping students. It is pushing them away from schools.

The protest by the teachers is peaceful. They are not shouting or going on strike. They are just explaining their point. They are ready to sit for peaceful dharnas and send letters. They want to talk to the government with respect. But they also say that if the policy is not changed, they will continue their protest. They are ready for a long movement if needed.

Their message is clear. Let every village have its school. Stop merging schools. Keep education near homes. Help children learn happily and safely. Do not make them walk for kilometers. Respect the role of teachers. Listen to their voice. Only then will real education grow.

This protest is not only for teachers. It is for every child who dreams of studying. It is for every parent who wants their child to learn. It is for every village that wants a better future. The government must listen. The school merger plan must stop. Village schools must work as before. Then only can we say that we care for education.

The teachers are standing together. They say: We will not let basic education die. We will protect children’s right to learn. We will save village schools. We will walk the path of peace, but we will not be silent. The government must act now. Education is not a favour. It is a right. And that right must be protected. Always.