Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The rationale of the school education department regarding the proportionate appointment of teachers in educational institutions stands exposed as the state capital reveals a bizarre picture of schools within its jurisdiction. While as many as 41 primary schools operate with a single teacher, 442 institutions have an excess of teaching staff.
The government, however, does not post the extra teachers to the short-staffed schools to boost primary education. Apart from shortage of teachers, most of the primary school buildings are in ruins.
Such rundown school buildings stand in different localities in the state capital. One of them is in alleys at Nehru Nagar in Bhopal, just a few kilometers away from Mantralaya.
Apart from the dilapidated condition of the school building, there is only one teacher who, too, is retiring next year.
This is not story of just one school. There are more than 41 single-teacher-run primary schools in the state capital and tell the tale of darkness under the lamp. The buildings of most of the schools are in ruins.
When Free Press visited the Government Primary School in Police Line, Nehru Nagar, only one teacher was present, managing students from all classes and teaching every subject. This teacher, Rupa Malviya, was on temporary duty as the main teacher was on leave. She said, 'I am not a permanent teacher here. I am assigned to look after the students for a few days only as the only teacher of the school went out of the country on holidays, and the school can't be shut'. She also mentioned that students had only received their books on Wednesday, so regular teaching had not yet commenced.
At another government school in Prempura, the girlsí toilet was found locked, with only girl students present at the time. Vrindawan Sharma, the sole teacher present, explained that the school normally has two teachers, but one is on leave. 'We teach all subjects to all the children in one class,' said Sharma.
He further said that with many new schools opening, smaller schools like ours are often neglected. The government isnít closing this school because there would be nowhere for the children of poor families to go, he added. When Free Press spoke to district education officer Anjani Kumar Tripathi, he refused to comment on this, citing that this doesnít come under his jurisdiction.
Here's a list of schools that have more than 10 surplus teachers:
School Name -- No. of Surplus teachers
CM Rise Govt HSS Karond (Sardar Vallabh Bhai) (Class1 to 12) -- 20
Govt HSS Raja Bhoj (1100 QR) (Class 1 to 12) -- 19
CM Rise- Govt HSS Mahatma Gandhi, BHEL (Class 1 to 12) -- 16
CM Rise- Govt HSS Girls, Kamla Nehru, Tin Shed(Class KG to12) -- 15
Govt HSS Narela Shankari (Class 1 to 12) -- 13
Govt HS Tatya Tope (Class 1 to 10) -- 13
CM Rise- Govt HSS Girls, Govindpura, (Class KG to 12) -- 12
Govt HS Girls, Nehru Nagar (Class 1 to 10) -- 11
Govt HSS Vidhya Vihar (Class 1 to 12) -- 10
Govt HSS Anand Nagar (Class 1 to 12) -- 10
