Hooghly, 06 August (H.S.): Another government school in West Bengal is facing uncertainty due to a sharp decline in student enrolment. At Sadhu Charan Smriti Vidyapith in Chandannagar, the number of students has dropped to just three, while two teachers are continuing classes for them.

According to sources, the school had more than 50 students about a year ago. However, the student strength gradually declined and has now come down to only three. The two teachers are continuing academic activities and are making efforts to bring students back to the school.

The teachers have been interacting with local residents and parents to understand the reason behind the declining enrolment and encourage them to send their children to the school. The school authorities have also sought cooperation from the Education Department to address the issue.

Sources said discussions are also underway on whether nearby schools with low student numbers can be merged to ensure better utilisation of resources.

Earlier, Chuchura MLA Subir Nag had raised concerns in the state Assembly over the declining number of students in several schools across Hooghly, including Chandannagar and Chuchura. He pointed out that while some schools have fewer students, others have a shortage of teachers.

The School Education Department has stated that teachers are being transferred from schools with low student enrolment and excess staff to institutions facing a shortage of teachers. The department is also working to maintain a proper teacher-student ratio across government schools.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey