KOLKATA: The West Bengal government has closed down 933 state-aided schools across the state after they recorded zero student enrolment, and has ordered district administrations to verify the institutions and examine the possibility of reviving them or using their infrastructure for other public purposes.

According to a memorandum issued by the School Education Department on September 16, the affected schools include primary, upper primary and secondary institutions. The department said the lack of enrolment had led to the under-utilisation or idling of educational infrastructure and other assets created through public expenditure.

School Education Minister Dipak Barman said the situation had existed for nearly two decades but had become particularly serious over the past five years.

“The situation has been alarming for the last 20 years and became particularly acute in the last five years, as 933 schools had to be shut down after recording no student admissions,” Barman said.

He added that the government was also assessing the number of teachers available at these institutions as part of an inter-departmental exercise.

The department has directed district magistrates to form committees headed by them, with the district education officer and district inspector of schools as members. These committees will physically inspect all zero-enrolment schools and prepare detailed inventories of their infrastructure, including buildings, classrooms, land, ancillary facilities and other assets.

The committees will also examine the condition and ownership of the land and buildings, availability of basic amenities and accessibility. They will identify infrastructure that is lying idle or under-used and assess whether it can be utilised for other public purposes.

The government has suggested that such infrastructure may be used as training centres, health centres, agricultural and rural development centres, community facilities or other public-service facilities, in consultation with the concerned departments.

However, the committees have been directed to ensure that no child is deprived of access to schooling. Where there is a possibility of restoring a school, the committees have been asked to examine options for its revival or restructuring.

District administrations have been asked to submit consolidated reports within 30 days, detailing each zero-enrolment school and recommending whether it should be continued or revived, or whether its infrastructure should be used for another suitable public purpose.

The memorandum, issued by Additional Chief Secretary Binod Kumar, also mentions the possibility of using the assets under the public-private partnership (PPP) model.

Barman, however, clarified that the government was not in favour of handing over the properties entirely under the PPP model.