JOIN USTeachers, who continue to remain absent from work for long periods because of fear of life, are now “hiring” local youth to take classes on their behalf, paying them half of their salaries.
Anyway, it is turning out to be a win-win situation for both teachers as well as the local, half- educated and unemployed youth. Teachers get half of their salary staying at home while the unqualified youth teach students and get paid for it too.
The trend is spreading in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa as school inspectors hardly visit schools in remote areas due to the presence of the Maoists.
“It is a very disturbing scenario. We can very well imagine what will be the quality of education in these schools. We hope as security forces take control of more and more Naxal-dominated areas, situation will improve gradually and normalcy will be restored,” a government official said.
As the Maoists continue to hold sway over a large part of central India, the healthcare system for the poor has also gone haywire in many areas.
A substantial number of medical practitioners are staying away from duties due to fear of life. Many posts in primary health centres are lying vacant as no one is willing to work there. State governments too are facing problems in running schools and PHCs in these areas as hundreds of teachers and doctors continue to remain absent for a long time, while many others do not join duty even after getting appointment.