The Department of Primary and Secondary Education has now put the onus on teachers to increase the strength in government schools, failing which they would be redeployed elsewhere.
Principal Secretary to the Department of Education, Shalini Rajaneesh, in a letter sent to at all the Chief Executive Officers of Zilla Panchayats, has mentioned that teachers make an effort to ensure that additional students are enrolled into schools that have very low strength or have seen zero admissions.
According to Shalini, there are 261 primary schools with zero enrollment this year. As many as 229 teachers have been employed in these schools and are drawing salaries despite not having to teach students. Similarly, there are 57 high schools where 137 teachers are drawing salary without having to do any work, she said in the letter that was sent to the CEOs on June 2.
“In schools that have a strength of less than 50, the onus lies on head masters and teachers working here to ensure that the number of admissions are increased,” the letter reads.
Teachers have been given a target to increase the strength at least by 25 for primary schools and 50 for high schools, failing which the CEO would take measures to redeploy the teachers to schools that have a higher strength. A circular issued by the department in this regard further mandates that teachers give an explanation for low students strength in such schools, according to sources in the department.
These teachers sit idle through the year. When there are no admissions they yet draw salary every month. No attempts are made to reach out to children and bring them to schools. Such a move is intended at addressing that issue as well. Else, what is the point in paying teachers for doing no work?, sources in the department said.
The department, however, has taken no call on shutting down schools that see zero admissions. Sources said that soon, in such schools, baring one teacher, all the others would be redeployed to schools with higher strength.