Merger Move For Unit-9 Govt Girls’ High School In Bhubaneswar Triggers Protest

Bhubaneswar: The Government Girls’ High School Unit-9 in Bhubaneswar, which has been imparting education for the last over five decades, may cease to exist.

Plans are afoot to merge the school with Unit-9 Boys’ High School and allot its land to Rama Devi Women’s University.

Sources said a notification was issued by the School and Mass Education department in February this year, after which parents of a large number of students of the school had expressed strong resentment and sought steps to halt the move.

They are of the view that the school, which imparts quality education to girls, has set an example for other educational institutions in the state capital by registering more than 90 per cent pass percentage in HSC Examination every year.

More than 400 students from different parts of the state capital and nearby areas are reported to be studying at present in the school, which was set up in 1967. It is located near Rama Devi Women’s University.

People belonging to weaker sections, particularly slum dwellers and those from below poverty line enroll their daughters in this school for quality education.

Apart from imparting high-quality education, the school is known for a host of other activities such as NCC, Red Cross, Eco Club, Literacy Club and band team. The students have been achieving success in block, district, state and national level events.

It may be noted here that the school with 23 employees has already been upgraded as Smart School for adopting IT skills and cleanliness. It is also part of first phase 5T transformation process.

However, the merger plan has caused disappointment among many students and their parents. Many of them recently approached the School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash, who reportedly asked the education director to review the merger plan.

Alleging a conspiracy behind the move, the parents have also threatened to launch a massive protest against any step to close the school and merge it with another.