Teacher- student ratio in Govt schools is alarming
The student -teacher ratio in Government run schools has been a constant topic for discussions by the professionals and the civil society. Last week one of the schools in downtown area became a hot topic for the media fraternity after the Director School Education inspected the school premises and found the alarming position of student-teacher ratio. Since then the school remained in news for quite some time and the conditions in government run schools once again hit the headlines of print and electronic media.
Govt High School Rantang in Nawakadal area has a wonderful building housing 2 more middle schools, Govt Middle School Aali Kadal and Govt Middle School Rehbab Sahib that fall under the jurisdiction of Zonal Education Officer Zaldagar.
In GHS Rangtang, only 2 classes, 9th and 10th, are being taught and has 8 students on rolls with 12 teachers and one Incharge Headmaster. Middle School Aalikadal has 3 teachers for 21 students whereas Middle School Rehbab Sahab has 5 teachers for 15 students. The total enrollment in 3 schools housed in the same premises has 44 students with a teaching staff of 21.
During his visit DSEK has placed all the staff members under suspension and this time the reason was not the absentee of the staff but “poor performance in academics”. Director has said that despite the fact that the school has run for the whole month, teachers have not checked or signed a note book of even a single student. “When asked teachers said that they check the note books at the end of the month, which is unheard of, Director Mr Itoo has said to newsmen.
Mr G N Itoo has recently taken over the charge of the department which is believed to be one of the biggest departments and second only to the police department in terms of the employees and the vast network spread over the whole state. Mr Itoo is constantly monitoring the ‘health’ of the department and going out for surprise inspections and constantly putting teachers, headmasters and principles of the schools under suspension for dereliction of their duties. During the past visits, the main reason for such suspensions have been ‘absent from duties’ whereas in the Rangtang case it has been different i.e., “poor performance in academics”.
The action by the HOD can not be challenged and if the stress is laid on the performance of the schools, it, in the first place, can send many heads rolling and, in the second place, can also help in the improvement of educational environment in the schools. The previous visits by the director to the other schools suggest that the academic performance thereat was better.
In order to set a basic standard of the ‘academic performance’ in the schools, directorate has to come out with certain guidelines to follow by the teaching staff and their immediate bosses that include Zonal Education Officers, Headmasters, Principals and Chief Education Officers. Previously only the performance of High and Higher Secondary Schools was being assessed on the basis of their results achieved in 10th and 12th class. The Primary and the middle department had always being enjoying the liberty of National school policy whereby all the students upcto 8th class had to be promoted to next class. Although it can be safely said that the 10th standard JKBOSE examination results are a litmus test for the High School teachers but in other ways it should have been a reflection of the academic excellence of the concerned primary and middle schools also. Most of the qualified teachers posted in High Schools avoid teaching 9th and 10th standard students and prefer to guide students at primary level thus escape the scrutiny of his/her performance at the appropriate level as per the present arrangments.
Coming back to teacher- student ratio, the conditions in Govt schools especially in district Srinagar is alarming. In GHS Nowhatta 20 teachers for 41 students, in GBHS Zoonimar 15 teachers for 13 students, in GBHS Zadibal 49 teachers for 17 students, in GHS Gassi Mohla 16 teachers for 5 students, in GHS Hazratbal 30 teachers for 39 students and the worst position is in GBHS Rehlone. There 21 teachers are for 3 students, and the list goes on. This is the position of High Schools only. The position in Primary and Middle Schools is more pathetic. Although the ideal v teacher- student ratio is 1:30, there is hardly any Govt school in district Srinagar having a reasonably fare teacher- student ratio. All the schools are over staffed and the rationalization of schools carried out during the incumbency of the previous Education Minister has complicated the problem instead of solving it. Rationalization has been carried out to the extent of shifting of schools to a nearby school but the teacher- student ratio has not been taken care of properly. Even administrative problems of these amalgamated schools have propped up in the shape of ‘dual control’ of primary and middle level schools as they are administratively looked after by the concerned Zonal Education Officers (ZEO) but Headmasters of the schools, say parent schools, have also been advised to look after the day to day administration of these lower level schools. This sort of dual control has resulted in the tussle between the staff at these schools and the headmaster and between the ZEO and the headmaster. The headmaster of GBHS Rangtang has also expressed her views to a News Channel. HM has said that she has already discussed the issue of duel control with the concerned authorities and had suggested for merger of these schools instead of amalgamation.
Although the schools in district Srinagar are over staffed, the deputation of additional teaching staff to these schools speak volumes about the mismanagement at the apex level. DSEK Mr Itoo has said that the above referred 3 schools have 21 teachers of their own but 2 more teachers have been adjusted on deployment basis there. Now it is clear that these teachers are deployed not on actual requirement basis but on some other conditions which even the Director could not explain. Directorate of School Education has been issuing orders for the detachment of the teaching staff but these orders are being constantly ignored and least number of such teachers have resumed there duties at the place of their original postings. It is but obvious that these deployments are being carried out at the behest of some influential persons, and for the convenience of the teachers and not the students, the non compliance of these orders are not being followed in letter and spirit as nobody is ready to “bell the cat”.
