For two years, A.A. Giri, the only teacher and principal of the Bapunagar Municipal Hindi Medium Middle School in the Rakhial area of Ahmedabad, had faced, and struggled against, an onerous task: teaching Algebra, Social Science, Biology, Chemistry and even Gujarati to 116 students of classes 9 and 10. After repeated requests, the school was allotted two visiting teaching assistants, appointed on contract by the state government. The three teachers are helping students prepare for the Gujarat Board Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations due to be held early next year. The visiting teachers are paid on per class taken basis, with a maximum of Rs 16,500 a month, substantially lower than the Rs 50,000-Rs 75,000 salary of a full-time senior teacher.
It's a plight 14 other institutions in the city are facing-forced to make do with woefully inadequate teaching staff. The situation is by no means restricted to the state capital, it is reflected all across Gujarat. Data presented in the state assembly in March 2023 shows 32,674 teaching posts lay vacant statewide as of December 2022. These vacancies comprise around 15 per cent of the total number of approved posts of teachers in government and government-aided schools. In all, 29,122 were for teachers and 3,522 for principals. Of these, 11,996 are unfilled in grant-in-aid/ government-aided schools, while 20,678 positions are yet to be filled in government-run schools. The situation in government and grant-in-aid primary schools is the direst-17,500 teaching posts are lying vacant in over 40,000 schools.
Esta historia es de la edición October 16, 2023 de India Today.
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Esta historia es de la edición October 16, 2023 de India Today.
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FUELLING AMBITIONS
Puri's return signals a welcome continuity. Oil production and green fuels remain a challenge
Acceptance Certificates
The Ayush ministry must push for rigorous treatment protocol based on science and ensure new and high-quality products
THE HEALTH MAKEOVER
Providing adequate and quality healthcare to a large population is a challenge. The immediate task is to provide affordable treatment and tackle the burden of spiraling non-communicable diseases
THE GREEN TIGHTROPE
If the government is to realise its grand promises of a green revival, it needs to show unwavering commitment. Pollution and depleting forest cover remain major worries
REALISING THE TRUE POTENTIAL
Conserving and promoting India's rich heritage can generate jobs and spur other sectors too
MAKING YOUTH EMPLOYABLE
To cash in on its demographic advantage, India must revamp its skilling infrastructure with aid from the industry
CRACK THE REFORM CODE
Educational reform is unfinished business. More resources and full adoption of NEP are a must to end disparities, fill vacancies and train teachers
FISHING FOR SUCCESS
Empowering the fisheries sector and the national livestock census will be top priority
POWER-PACKED AGENDA
Reforms in the power sector are key to meeting the exponential growth in demand for electricity
BREAKING THE GRID LOCK
Joshi's big challenge, apart from synergies with the power ministry, will be to popularise the green fuels of the future