Alot (Madhya Pradesh): A severe shortage of teachers has hit education in the Alot tehsil. In a significant move to highlight their grievances, Congress leaders have announced a hunger strike in the villages under the tehsil.
The protest, spearheaded by janpad representative Karan Singh Rathore, aims to highlight the severe shortage of teachers plaguing schools across the region.
Students from various villages, including Karadia and Khajuri Devda, took to the streets in protest, citing the lack of teaching staff hindering their education. They were dispersed after assurances from the tehsildar.
Reports indicate that schools have struggled to fill crucial teaching positions, leaving many classrooms understaffed and students without proper educational support.
Sarpanch representative Ishwar Parmar of Khajuri Devda had previously resorted to locking down the high school, emphasising the dire need for permanent teacher appointments since the school's establishment in 2012.
Despite repeated appeals to the education department, the situation remained unresolved. Rathore underscored that while affluent families can afford private education alternatives, disadvantaged children are left behind due to the absence of qualified teachers in government schools.
He called upon the government to expedite the appointment of teachers, particularly in subjects crucial for student development like English, Hindi, Mathematics and Social Sciences.
BEO Nirmala Kalme said that efforts to appoint guest teachers were yet to commence at the government level. However, they assured that interim arrangements had been made for essential subjects in some villages, albeit temporarily.
