Despite Himachal’s performance being lauded in the education sector at the national level, there are two government primary schools in remote parts of Chamba which are without regular teachers while only one teacher each manages 142 schools.
This was revealed in reply to a query raised by Pawan Nayyar, MLA from Chamba, and Asha Kumari, MLA from Banikhet, that these facts were furnished by Education and Law Minister Suresh Bhardwaj during Question Hour today. “The two government primary schools at Sakrina and Juana do not have a regular teacher and are functioning with the help of teachers on deputation,” said Bhardwaj.
He admitted that this was on account of shortage of teachers but the studies of the students were not suffering as teachers on deputation were teaching them. “The shortage is a major problem in Chamba, Sirmaur and interior parts of Shimla district as teachers are unwilling to go in these areas. The Education Department normally gives teachers their first postings here but at times they get their posting orders modified,” he said.
Asha Kumari suggested that the government must undertake rationalisation so that teachers from schools with lesser enrollment can be shifted to these schools with none or one teacher.
“If you see the data of a number of students, you will find that the schools with one or none teachers have higher enrolment than schools with five teachers. So why not shift these teachers so that the quality of education being imparted to them is not compromised,” she said.
Bhardwaj said Asha had herself remained an education minister and her suggestions would be considered. “We are expediting the process of recruitment of teachers and after getting the Cabinet nod and have sent the request to the Subordinate Selection Board at Hamirpur,” he said.
The minister further said as compared to recruitment of 7,131 teachers in Elementary Education wing by the Congress in its five-year rule, his government had recruited 6,268 teachers in two years. He admitted that there were still 5,938 vacancies in the Elementary Education Department. He reiterated his government’s resolve to fill all vacancies and ensure that students were imparted proper education and there was qualitative improvement in their learning levels.