34 private schools shut in Bokaro in two decades

BOKARO: While the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has revoked the recognition of nine schools in Bokaro on Sunday, it wasn’t the first time when such an action was taken by the board.

Bokaro, known for its educational excellence, saw closure of schools, many of which also operated by SAIL's Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL), and many of the buildings now lie in ruins.

Over the past two decades, a significant number of schools run by BSL in Bokaro have shut down due to a decline in student enrolment. The BSL management, responding to the dwindling number of students, either merged or closed schools situated across various sectors in the township. “The count of BSL schools, which stood at 42 in 2001, has now diminished to merely eight in 2023, leaving 34 schools permanently shut,” said an officer.

BSL’s nine schools, among the 34 closed ones, have had their recognition cancelled by CBSE. The remaining closed schools were affiliated to Jharkhand Board. Some of these abandoned buildings are repurposed as training centres, while others remain deserted.

“The closed school buildings, left unattended, have become targets for theft and vandalism. Doors, windows, fans, desks, and even basic structural elements such as bricks and electrical wires are being looted, causing significant damage to SAIL-BSL's assets,” said Vijay Chandra, a resident of the town.

Despite the evident deterioration, the BSL management appears to lack vision and interest in addressing the issue, leading to discontent among the local populace. Former students of the now closed schools express sadness witnessing the deterioration of institutions that once played a crucial role in shaping their lives.

Notably, the CBSE has cancelled the recognition of a total of 17 schools in Jharkhand, with nine from Bokaro. Ranchi also has two schools.

Lakes, parks in Bokaro abuzz with visitors

Bokaro's lakes and parks are attracting visitors during the winter season. The City Park lake, known for pedal boating, and Tenughat Dam in Gomia are popular tourist spots. Garga Dam is another preferred picnic spot. Families enjoy boating in these picturesque lakes. Ankur Sinha, a visitor, likes coming to City Park lake with friends. The lake has five boats and is busy during the peak season. Boatman Naresh Kumar mentions that couples mostly visit on weekdays.

16 schools in Pune district with no students will shut down

At least 16 English medium schools in Pune district are shutting down due to lack of enrolments. These private, unaided schools were instructed to close because they had no students. The concentration of schools in one area and parents' preference for aided schools contributed to low enrolment. The closure of these schools will improve the state's overall rankings. The fear of COVID infection and inter/intra-state migrations also caused a decline in enrolment. This decline in enrolment poses a challenge to India's goal of universal schools enrolment by 2030.

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