SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government is addressing staffing shortages in schools with higher pupil-teacher ratios (PTR) through an ongoing rationalisation process, Education Minister Sakeena Itoo informed the Legislative Assembly on Thursday.
Replying to a question raised by MLA Sajjad Shafi during Question Hour in the Autumn Session, Itoo said only 10 of the 375 government schools in Uri constituency have a PTR exceeding 40.
She said staffing requirements in such schools are being addressed through rationalisation and the judicious deployment of available teaching staff.
The minister informed the House that applications from eligible teachers had been invited under the Annual Transfer Drive (ATD)-2026 and that these would be considered keeping in view the requirements of schools facing higher pupil-teacher loads.
Itoo also said that 22 laboratory assistants had recently been promoted as teachers, of whom eight had been posted in Uri constituency. In addition, five masters have been transferred to the constituency to strengthen teaching arrangements in schools with relatively higher student strength.
She said the rationalisation exercise for the current academic year had already been initiated and that staffing needs of individual schools would be considered to ensure a more balanced distribution of teaching personnel across the education sector.
