CHITRADURGA: Even though it is hard to imagine a school without teachers, here is a taluk that has 10 schools without a single teacher. Molakalmuru — known as the most backward taluk in the state — suffers from shortage of teachers in schools. With no private schools in the taluk, many students, mainly from poor and middle class, depending on government schools to pursue education.
Not only the Education Department, even the Border Area Development Authority formed for improving infrastructure, education, health conditions at the state borders, have not shown any interest in resolving the problem.
Ex-ZP member H T Nagi Reddy said, “Lack of proper public transportation, along with absence of proper drinking water, infrastructure and the hot weather in the taluk, has ended up in teachers refusing to work in these areas. Government should provide special area status to Molkalmuru and special salary to motivate the teachers to work here.” He also said that transfers of teachers from Molakalmuru to other parts of Chitradurga should be freezed temporarily.
People cannot afford to send their children to urban centres for education and government schools are the only centres of learning. With no teachers, students of these schools are in a state of confusion. Parents of the children in these border villages demand that teaching staff be appointed at the earliest as the academic year is beginning in June.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPI) Anthony said this is a serious issue to be addressed first.
He said that the department is recruiting guest faculty to teach the students of these schools and they will be paid from the funds available with the SDMC committees of respective taluks.
Anthony also said that 350 guest teachers will be recruited this year and we have urged the department to fill the vacancies at the earliest. The department has also taken initiative to hold Graduate Primary School Teachers examination on May 25 and 26 to select the candidates to fill the vacancies.