Cilacap to merge 300 elementary schools

Due to lack of students, at least 300 public elementary schools in the Central Java regency, Cilacap, will be merged with others to boost efficiency in their operational costs, local officials say.

"The merger will also be able to address the problem with teacher shortages," Cilacap Regent Probo Yulastoro said here on Wednesday.

He said the move would significantly reduce the funds needed to renovate hundreds of elementary school buildings in the regency.

With the merger, which will be carried out gradually, the number of elementary schools will be only 852, a decrease from the total of 1,252, Probo said.

"I ask the heads of the local education office and schools, as well as all teachers, not to misunderstand the decision," he said.

"The program to merge the elementary schools will not be carried out in one fell swoop, but gradually. It is impossible for us to do it in one go," he told a meeting with officials of the Cilacap education office, heads of elementary schools and other teachers.

Also present were Cilacap legislative council speaker Fran Lukman, local development planning agency chief A. Prie Leo, administration secretary's assistant Sudarno and other local dignitaries.

Probo did not say when the phased merger would be completed.

He confirmed that all education office heads in subdistricts had been asked to report on funds belonging to schools to be merged.

"I ask them to submit the reports soon. I need the data before the merger plan can begin to be put into action," he added.