More students, fewer teachers in Jammu schools

More students, fewer teachers in Jammu schools
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 27
Government schools in Jammu district have been successful in enrolling a large number of students, but most of these schools are facing a shortage of teachers, which is badly affecting studies.

Sources told The Tribune that primary, middle, high and higher secondary schools of the district were facing the shortage of teachers. Moreover, some of the schools did not even have headmasters/headmistresses to run the institutions properly, they added.

“Due to the shortage of teachers, the existing staff are being forced to take additional classes despite the fact that they are not well versed in teaching different subjects. As a result students are not being taught properly,” said a teacher on the condition of anonymity.

Government documents procured by The Tribune revealed that of the total 8,460 sanctioned posts of teacher in Jammu district, 1,546 posts were lying vacant. It added that there were 1,11,531 students enrolled in the government schools in the district, but these schools did not have the requisite number of teachers.

“A total of 1,546 posts, including 1,139 of teacher, 126 of master, 48 of lecturer and 204 posts of Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT), are lying vacant in the district,” the documents stated.

Even Education Minister Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed accepted the fact that a large number of posts were lying vacant. He said, “We are aware about the shortage of teachers and steps are being taken to fill vacant posts so that the students get better education”.

A senior official of the Education Department said, “We have referred 608 posts of teacher in Jammu district to the Staff Selection Board (SSB) for the selection of suitable candidates. Besides, a total of 289 posts of lecturer have also been referred to the Public Service Commission”.

He added that, “Steps are being taken to recruit ReT teachers also, but due to court cases there is little progress”.