Government-aided AP Mission Middle School, which has been imparting free education to hundreds of poor children for over 65 years, is on the verge of closure as the entire teaching staff has retired from service.
The peon, who is the lone regular employee left, has also been
transferred to Gurdaspur district with effect from February 1.
Presently, the retired head-mistress and two voluntary teachers are taking classes as the board examinations are approaching. Once the examinations are over, the school would be locked.
Due to a ban on fresh recruitment, no new teacher was appointed even as there was a spate of retirements. Headmistress Grace Paul was the last one to retire in September 2012. However, she was granted an extension of six months. Since then she has been looking after the school with the help of two volunteers.
She states that at one point of time, there used to be around 400 -500 students in the school. However, the number of students in the school has dropped gradually and they were now left with 100 students. The girls hostel was locked long ago, she added.
"I was given an extension of six months. I will leave in March after the session is over," said Paul.
Asked if the school would be closed after that, she said it looked imminent. "It is for the management to see if and how they run the institution." However, no one from the managing committee was available for comments.