Banihal ; September 23(KNS): National Conference (NC) leader and District President Ramban, Mr Sajjad Shaheen has expressed serious concern over the shortage of teaching staff in government schools in district Ramban particularly in Banihal assembly constituency.
He said that the Government schools in the entire Ramban district are grappling with a severe problem of shortage of teachers, with schools in rural areas bearing the maximum brunt of the staff crunch. There is more than 30 per cent shortage of staff in government schools in rural areas of the district, as per the reports.
Shaheen has accused the education department of the lackadaisical approach in filling the vacant posts. The gravity of the situation can be understood from the fact that a government school HSS(Boys) Banihal has only 9 teachers out of 16 sanctioned posts as six lecturers have been recently transferred without providing any substitute.
Similarly in HSS Tethar, HSS (Girls) Banihal , HSS Khari, HSS Mahoo, HSS Neel, HSS Ukharhal most of the posts are lying vacant.
He added that even the Degree college Banihal is functioning without a permanent Principal which is a matter of great concern.
He said similar reports have been received from Kawna ,Trigam, Mahu, Mangit, Kumbla, Buzla, Ramsoo, Neel, Ukharhal, Senabati, Alinbas, Pogal-Maligam, Sarachi, Khari, Nachlana, Sumar, Nowgam, Bankoot, Chapnari, Chamalwas, Chaknarwa, Dooligam, Hinjhal, Kaskoot , Asshar, Lamber, Chanjlu, Dooligam, Shagan, Wagan, Rajgarh, Desa, Batote, Ramban, Gandhri, Assar, Dharamkund and other areas of the district.
He asked "how would the state government achieve ‘standards’ in education without providing necessary infrastructure facilities in schools and filling vacancies of teachers’ posts."
Shaheen further said that some school doesn’t have teachers even for important subjects like Mathematics and Science and even the post of head masters also are lying vacant for a long time, he added. "Students are forced to sit idle all through the day as most of the classes are not held due to shortage of teachers. Left with no other option, they are forced to spend on tuitions to learn the lessons. It affects their academic prospects because of government’s apathy,” he said.
Shaheen has urged upon the JK Administration particularly Director School education and CEO Ramban to fill up all the vacant posts in the all the schools of the district to ensure quality education in the backward areas.(KNS).