The seven-year delay in sanctioning of post of teachers for 10 subjects and not appointing temporary teachers to handle classes at the Government Tribal Residential Higher Secondary School at Bargur in Anthiyur block remains a concern for parents as students were forced to sit idle in their classrooms for many years now.
The school, started as a primary school in 1961, was upgraded as middle school in 1993, high school in 2009 and higher secondary school in 2016.
Currently, 380 students are studying from classes 6 to 12 in the school. There are one teacher each for Tamil and English, besides teachers for Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Economics and Commerce. Though the school was upgraded in 2016, the posts of teachers for English (two), Tamil (two), Mathematics (two), Biology (one), Social Science (one), Science (one) and History (one) were yet to be sanctioned. Also, the posts of office assistant, system operator, cook, lab assistant and night watchman were also not sanctioned.
In 2017, parents and students staged a protest demanding appointment of teachers and non-teaching staff. But, the posts were not sanctioned or teachers appointed temporarily.
In 2022, Service Unit for Development Activities in Rural (SUDAR), a Sathyamangalam-based NGO, appointed eight teachers on a temporary basis for a year and salaries were paid to them by various organisations under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding.
Against the required strength of 21 teachers, the school currently has nine teachers, while one teacher was posted on deputation and other posts remain vacant.
In the absence of 10 teachers, subjects were not taught for many classes, including XI and XII, since the start of academic year on June 12.
Also, in the absence of adequate classrooms, classes for five sections were taken in the boys and girls hostels during the day time.
A new building for the school was constructed at over ₹1 crore and was inaugurated in 2019. But due to lack of basic amenities, the facility could not be utilised all these years.
S.C. Natraj, Director of SUDAR, told The Hindu that an announcement was made in the State Budget that schools run by the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department will be merged with that of the School Education Department.
“Only if it comes into force, teachers’ posts can be sanctioned,” he said and urged the government to expedite the merger process.
