Cockroach Janata Party Demands Explanation for School Closures in Uttarakhand

DEHRADUN: The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), which has recently sought to expand its footprint beyond student politics, has brought its “Fix the Schools” campaign to Uttarakhand, questioning the closure of 826 government primary schools in the state over the past five years. The party has given the state government 10 days to issue a detailed explanation and an education road map, warning that it will launch a peaceful agitation after October 2 if its demands are not addressed. CJP North Zone coordinator Shreshtha Singh on Sunday alleged that school closures had continued even as teaching posts remained vacant and infrastructure was missing in hundreds of institutions, especially in the hills. “In the past five years, 826 primary schools have been shut in Uttarakhand, while teachers’ posts continue to lie vacant. As many as 270 schools do not even have drinking water,” Singh said. “In several hill districts, children still lack adequate teachers and essential facilities.” He also flagged the disparity in infrastructure between government and private schools, arguing that students in the public system should not be denied safe buildings, electricity, functional toilets or reliable access to drinking water. The CJP demanded that the government publish a school-wise report detailing enrolment, teacher strength, available facilities, reasons for closure, the population around each institution and the distance to the nearest alternative school. It also sought a district-wise Uttarakhand Education Road Map within 10 days, with clear deadlines for filling teachers’ posts and providing drinking water, toilets, electricity, safe buildings and other essential amenities. The party called for basic transport support for government-school students, especially those in mountainous and remote areas. It said safe school buses, minibuses or another regular transport arrangement should be introduced wherever distance and terrain make daily travel difficult. “If the government fails to explain why these schools were closed, we may also demand Education Minister Dhan Singh Rawat’s resignation after the 10-day deadline,” Singh said. “If no clear road map and time-bound action plan are released, democratic protests will be organised across Uttarakhand.”