MADURAI: A total of 185 vacant teacher posts have remained unfilled for the past five years in most of the Kallar Reclamation Schools functioning in Madurai, Dindigul, and Theni districts.
P Dheenan, Tamil Nadu Primary School Teachers Federation and Kallar school district branch secretary, told TNIE that there are a total of 295 Kallar reclamation schools functioning in Madurai, Dindigul, and Theni, and there are around 26,400 students studying here. However, there are only 1,200 teachers to handle the classes. “For the past five years, around 185 teaching posts have remained vacant. Though we have submitted several demands regarding the same to the officials concerned, no action has been taken so far,” he added.
He further said that in schools located in Vikramangalam, Pappapatti, Chekkanoorani, and K Perumalpatti, around 1,500 students are studying, and as per government norms, the student-teacher ratio should be 40:1. As these schools must have at least 35 teachers, they are functioning with just 15 teachers. How can we ensure quality education without sufficient teachers? he questioned.
Also urging the Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes, and the Minorities Welfare Department to appoint temporary teachers through the School Management Committees (SMC) until permanent recruitment is made, Dheenan said, “If the government fails to take steps within two weeks, we will stage a hunger strike to press our demands.”
On condition of anonymity, a teacher working in one of the schools said that it has become difficult to handle higher secondary classes. At present, teachers from nearby schools have been deputed to schools where there are no teachers. However, this arrangement is just temporary, and this also affects the continuity of teaching.
Responding to the issue, an official from the Kallar Reclamation Board said that proposals have been sent to the commissioner of Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes, and the Minorities Welfare Department. Once we receive approval, the vacancies will be filled with temporary teachers through the SMC.
The story is reported by Jeyalakshmi Ramanujam for The New Indian Express
