The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to step back on parts of its primary school merger policy. The move comes after growing concern from villages where students were facing longer walks to school or unsafe routes after smaller institutions were marked for closure.

From now on, no government school located more than one kilometre from another will be merged. Also, any school with more than 50 enroled students will be allowed to continue as is, according to new orders shared by the Basic Education Department.

RULES TO ENSURE SAFER, CLOSER ACCESS TO SCHOOLS

Basic Education Minister Sandeep Singh confirmed the decision, saying it was taken to protect students’ access to education. “We are keeping in mind the convenience, safety and learning of the children,” he said.\

The state had earlier pushed a merger drive to streamline the school network in areas with low enrollment. But it faced pushback from teachers’ unions and panchayats who said closures would make it harder for children, especially in remote villages, to attend school regularly.

Now, the government has made exceptions. Schools that are separated by a highway, river, or railway line will not be merged, even if they are within one kilometre of another school.

Also, vacant school buildings will not be left idle. These will be used to run Anganwadi centres or Balvatika units for early childhood education, keeping the infrastructure in use for younger children in the area.

The earlier merger policy had led to confusion and fear in many parts of the state. Parents were unsure whether their local schools would shut, and some feared their children would have to walk long distances or cross unsafe areas to reach another school.

With the new changes, the government hopes to strike a balance, streamlining school resources where necessary but keeping basic access intact. Teachers’ associations welcomed the decision, calling it a ‘corrective step’.

In many places, even a few extra kilometres to school can cause children, especially girls, to drop out. The revised policy could make a direct difference in keeping more children in classrooms, close to home, safe, and enrolled.

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