Shortage of teachers

There is shortage of teachers in a number of government schools, particularly in the remote areas of Jammu and Kashmir. Because of the shortage the normal class work in the schools is getting affected. This also affects the performance of the students in the examinations.

According to reports, the Department of Education has started a short-term recruitment process under which the recruited teachers will be offered a one year contract to teach students from classes 9 to 12. Fifteen hundred teachers would be hired and paid a monthly salary of Rs 25,000.

The teachers will have to teach the students subjects like Botany, Chemistry, Commerce, Economics, Education, Environmental Science, English, Geography, Hindi, History, Kashmiri, Mathematics, Physics, Political Science, Sociology, Statistics, Urdu, and Zoology.

This move has its positive and negatives fall outs, but should be welcomed as a first step towards increasing the number of teachers in the understaffed schools.

There is also a need to recruit teachers on permanent basis. Recruitment of teachers on permanent basis will have more impact and lead to fruitful results.

However, till that time the recruitment on contract basis for a year should continue. The students should not suffer due to shortage of teachers in their schools.

This will also help the unemployed educated youth to get recruitment though on temporary basis. Efforts must be made for their recruitment permanently.

Besides the shortage of teachers, other problems in the schools too need to be addressed. Like some school buildings do not have adequate class rooms and students of eight classes have to be taught in only three class rooms.

Sometimes, the students have to attend the classes in open due to shortage of space.

The classes remain off during rainy days. Some schools do not have the toilet facility.

Even some schools do not have laboratories and libraries. The schools must have adequate class rooms, libraries and laboratories besides toilet facility.

Schools must be also provided safe drinking water. Electricity supply and internet facility have to be made available. Such facilities must be there in all schools –whether in urban areas or in rural areas.