Shimla– In a progressive move to revolutionize education, Himachal Pradesh has unveiled pioneering guidelines for the establishment of cluster schools. Education Secretary Rakesh Kanwar outlined these guidelines, aiming to elevate the quality of education through collaborative resource-sharing and holistic activities among neighbouring schools. This visionary initiative is poised to redefine the educational paradigm, fostering efficiency and creating a blueprint for comprehensive learning.
The guidelines stipulate that primary, higher and senior secondary schools within a 500-meter radius of each other will form school clusters. Recognizing the underutilization of resources due to the lack of collaboration, the government envisions these clusters as dynamic ecosystems to optimize available resources effectively. The immediate implementation of these guidelines is set to impact 1984 government senior secondary schools, 960 high schools and 1885 middle schools across the state.
Directors of Higher Education and Elementary Education will play a crucial role in ensuring monthly compliance checks within their respective jurisdictions. To instill a culture of excellence, the government plans to introduce a ranking and reward system for the best-performing school clusters, promoting healthy competition and continuous improvement.
The designated heads of the cluster schools—Principals, Headmasters, Head Teachers, and School Incharges—will assume the role of overall cluster heads, responsible for daily coordination and convergence. To facilitate seamless collaboration, a Cluster Committee will be established, chaired by the Principal or Head Teacher of the cluster and including heads of primary, middle, and high schools within the cluster.
A cornerstone of this initiative is the immediate sharing of resources among cluster schools. A comprehensive sharing plan is expected to be devised before the winter holidays to ensure a smooth transition into the next academic session. Deputy Directors of Higher and Elementary Education will convene a meeting within a week of the guideline issuance to address local challenges and ensure swift implementation.
The Cluster Committee will collaborate with the School Management Committee (SMC) to develop the Cluster School Development Plan, Annual Academic Plan, and Annual Calendar of Activities. This collaborative effort aims to transform the school clusters into exemplary models of educational institutions.
Additionally, suggested activities will be adopted by all cluster schools, fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose. From a common morning assembly for all students to joint activities and the utilization of shared facilities such as playgrounds, auditoriums, and computer labs, the initiative seeks to create an enriched learning environment for students at all levels.
