Lack of teachers in government high schools in Kalaburagi district has affected syllabus deadlines. The huge number of vacancies has directly affected teaching in a number of schools. Though the district improved its ranking to 17 from 32 during the last SSLC examinations, the lack of teachers and the incomplete syllabus may halt the district’s performance this year.
Out of the 2,035 sanctioned posts in 293 high schools across the district, 1,776 have been filled, leaving 259 vacant from the last academic year.
The worst-affected subjects in high schools is Mathematics. Under Mathematics, out of 353 sanctioned posts, 74 posts are vacant. Under Social and Science, 48 posts are vacant against the sanctioned 317 and 447 posts, respectively. Under English, out of the 313 posts, 44 are vacant followed by 23 under Kannada and 22 vacant posts under Hindi.
Teachers unwilling
The highest number of vacancy is in Chincholli taluk with 61 unfilled posts of the sanctioned 209 posts. This is followed by 46 in Chittapur, 43 in Aland, 34 in Jewargi and 33 in Sedam taluks. The number of vacant posts in Afzalpur taluk are 26 and in Kalaburagi taluk 16. The data shows unwillingness of the teachers to serve in remote areas.
While in Urdu medium, out of the 142 approved posts, 136 are filled, only six are vacant.
In Marathi medium, 15 posts have been filled against the 17 sanctioned posts. In Telugu medium, only two posts were vacant out of the six sanctioned posts.
During a random visit to 12 government high schools in Aland and Chincholli, it was found that many teachers were either on leave or were assigned with non-teaching activities.
In the government high school at Kodal Hangaraga village in Aland taluk, out of the 10 staff members, four were on leave. Head Master of the school Arjun Sonkamble said that the high school teachers were teaching eighth class students attached to the primary school in the same compound.
It is ironic that despite the acute shortage of teachers in high schools, instead of making recruitments, the government has appointed guest teachers on daily wages to fill the gaps. Even guest teachers, in some schools, have stopped taking classes due to the non-payment of remuneration in the last three months, Mr. Sonkamble added.
Similarly, three posts were lying vacant in Kottan Hipparaga and Halli Salgar high schools, and two posts were vacant in Gunj Babalad and Belamagi high schools.
While many of the schools were suffering due to lack of teachers, the high school at Sangolgi (B) had got additional teachers; there are 10 teachers for three classes and many of them were working in the same school for several years.
In Munnalli High School, only three teachers for Social, Kannada and Hindi were working against the 11 sanctioned posts. Eight posts have been vacant for the last three years. Head Master Neelappa Gajre said that guest teachers appointed for Science and Mathematics for SSLC students have completed 60 % of the syllabus and discontinued classes demanding payment. Though the department had appointed guest teachers in November 2016, he said that they were taking classes for the past six months and had not received payment.
‘Complete syllabus early’
B.R. Shanta Gowda, Deputy Director of Public Instructions, told The Hindu on Wednesday said that instructions have been issued to conduct special classes to complete the SSLC syllabus by the end of February. Asked about the teachers going on leave, Mr. Shanta Gowda said that most of teachers take leave during December to avoid leaves lapsing.
No appointments have been made since 2010. Though the government approved appointment of 145 guest teachers for high schools in the district in November last, around 30 posts, mainly in Jewargi and Chincholli taluks, are still lying vacant, he added.
