Nil enrolment, migration of families, use of Balrath buses by aided schools are factors at play
Panaji : A total of 58 government primary schools (GPS) in the state have closed down in the last six years, bringing down the total number of GPS in operation to 679.
As per the education department, eight GPS closed during the academic year 2025-26, of which seven schools shut due to nil enrolment, while one school was amalgamated due to low enrolment.
The department has attributed the closure of government primary schools to nil enrolment, the migration of families to urban areas and the use of Balrath buses by aided schools to transport primary children.
The department is also of the opinion that parents prefer aided schools or unaided schools over government primary schools for various reasons.
As far as the infrastructure and staff of the closed schools is concerned, certain closed schools are allotted to government departments like the directorate of health services, the directorate of panchayats, the directorate of women and child development for running anganwadi centres, etc under the ‘scheme to provide unused schools, land and buildings to the non-profit institutions and social organisations’, while the teachers are posted in nearby schools where there is requirement.
To attract students to government primary schools, the government is implementing various schemes including the PM-POSHAN; free textbooks, notebooks, school uniforms and raincoats are also provided to students. Initiatives like yoga education, value education and enhancement of civic engagement is being done through Goa Education Development Corporation.
