LUDHIANA: Fate of 73 government primary schools in Ludhiana district hangs in balance, as the state education department plans to close them for having a student strength of less than 20.Sources in the district education department said, "The department has sent a list of such institutes to the director, public instructions, (DPI) office. Their students will be moved to nearby schools." District education officer (primary) Balwinder Singh said, "The list includes 73 primary schools in Machhiwara, Dehlon and Sidhwan Bet, among other areas. The department has also informed the DPI of the distance of the nearby government schools ."Parents, however, have raised objections. They said the move would hit many students who might not be able to go to the alternative school. A parent from Dehlon, Avtar Singh, said the government should not move the students even if the strength was low, as many would stop going to schools in other villages.Sources said parents have asked the district education department to have a rethink. A senior officer in the education department said earlier too the government had taken a similar decision.

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