97 Sikkim Schools Sikkim to Be Merged: Education Minister Raju Basnett

The Minister noted that input from local panchayats would guide the government on how best to utilize these spaces.

Sikkim’s Education Minister, Raju Basnett, today said that 78 primary schools, 12 junior high schools and 7 secondary schools with low enrolment rate will be merged with schools nearby.

The identified 78 primary schools have less than 10 students, the 12 junior high schools have less than 20 students, and the 7 secondary schools have less than 50 students.

During a press conference in Gangtok, Minister Basnett said that the vacant school buildings would not go unused. The government has planned to repurpose these buildings as community centres, cultural hubs, and other facilities based on local needs.

The Minister noted that input from local panchayats would guide the government on how best to utilize these spaces. Teachers affected by the mergers of schools will be reassigned to other schools in the region.

Education Minister Basnett attributed the low enrolment to a declining birth rate and an increasing preference for private schools among parents. “This drop in enrolment is concerning,” he said, adding that it reflects broader demographic changes in the state.

Focusing on student outcomes, Basnett highlighted the government’s commitment to achieving 100% results in the upcoming board exams. As part of this educational upliftment, 132 new coaching centres are set to be established this year to support students’ academic growth.

The also addressed the issue of curriculum changes. Minister Basnett announced a ban on the Nepali Grammar textbook currently used in classes 11 and 12, due to content deemed “humiliating” towards Scheduled Castes.

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