The government has decided to post teachers (Vidya volunteers) of multi-grade learning centres or single-teacher schools who have been working on contract for more than 10 years to current or future vacancies in the General Education Department on seniority basis.
The multi-grade learning centres were set up in the mid-90s to ensure universal primary education under the District Primary Education Programme across the State. These came up in areas such as tribal settlements or coastal areas that had no travel facilities to speak of for transporting children to schools. These schools would have a few students and follow the curriculum for classes 1 to 4. The only teacher or rather volunteer in a multi-grade learning centre would be paid an honorarium.
Over time, some of the learning centres closed down, while in others the volunteers were attached to other learning centres. Today, around 60-odd learning centres are active, though their number is more. There are 344 Vidya volunteers in these centres.
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