Jaipur— Rural schools in Rajasthan are facing a severe shortage of teachers, leading to disruptions in studies and causing villagers to resort to protests. The new academic session commenced on July 1, but due to the lack of teachers, the quality of education has suffered. In response to this crisis, Director of Secondary Education, Kanaram, has withdrawn the deputation of all teachers and directed them to return to their original postings at schools by July 31. Failure to comply with this order will result in disciplinary action by the department.

Recent Cases of Protests

Last week, protests erupted in Ganthi village in Pali district, as students and villagers locked down the school due to a severe shortage of teachers, leaving only four teachers to manage the entire institution. Despite 18 sanctioned teacher positions, the school struggles with minimal staffing, greatly affecting students' education. The villagers demanded immediate action to fill the vacant posts, leading to discussions with Education Department officials. While the sit-in was eventually called off, the community threatened to resume protests if their demand remains unmet.

On July 25, exasperated villagers and students locked the gate of the government higher secondary school in Rajwas village, Sikrai in Dausa district. Their allegation was straightforward: despite an enrollment of 1100 students, the school was being operated with a mere six teachers, a woefully insufficient number that disrupted the students' education and cast a shadow over their future.

The villagers further revealed that key positions in the school, including subject teachers of English, Mathematics, Science teachers, and even the principal, remained vacant. This dire situation persisted for the past three to four years, leaving the community with no choice but to resort to drastic action, culminating in the lockdown.

Upon receiving news of the school lockdown, police and education department officials swiftly responded, attempting to reason with the villagers. However, the villagers remained steadfast in their demand for the immediate appointment of teachers to the school. After intense negotiations, mediated by CBEO Krishna Sharma, a resolution was reached. The officials agreed to depute two teachers to the school urgently, leading to the villagers finally unlocking the school gate.

The situation is particularly dire in hundreds of secondary schools in rural areas of the district. Efforts were made in June to adjust teachers in primary and secondary schools through the issuance of 6D orders, which would have alleviated the problem. However, the department rescinded this order shortly after, leaving the situation unchanged. For instance, some rural schools in Udaipur have as few as 12 teachers for 700 children, while urban schools have 39 teachers for the same number of students. In the senior secondary school at Kurabad, against the sanctioned posts of 15 only 6 teachers are positioned while the number of students enrolled here is 300. This stark disparity highlights the pressing need for teachers in rural areas.

One potential solution proposed by educators is to engage additional teachers through adjustments in rural areas, which would provide some relief, although it may not completely solve the problem. The shortage of staff is not limited to schools but also extends to the department's offices, where a single education officer, is burdened with the responsibility of multiple positions like in Udaipur where one lady officer has the charge for DEO Elementary, DEO Secondary, and Chief District Education Officer Samagra Shiksha. This lack of personnel significantly impacts the efficiency of the education system.

Teachers' Reluctance to Transfer Hinders Solutions to Acute Shortage in Rural Schools

Rao Gopal Singh Asoliya, the acting state president of Rajasthan Shikshak Sangh Ekikrat, expressed that teachers are hesitant to adhere to the departmental 6D rule, which allows for vacant positions in secondary schools to be filled by transferring teachers from elementary education. He stated that teachers are reluctant to leave their comfort zones and opt for deputation in government departments. Consequently, rural schools for example, in Udaipur, such as those in Kotra, Sarada, and Khairwada, are grappling with a severe shortage of teachers. In the event of a clash of interests between students and teachers, Asoliya emphasized that the interests of the students should be given precedence.

Pushparajsinh Shaktawat, another teachers' union leader, highlights the urgent need for adjustments. He points out that there is an excess of teachers in city schools, whereas rural schools are severely understaffed in comparison to the number of children they serve. This disparity will undoubtedly impact the quality of education in rural areas unless the government takes prompt and serious action to address the issue.

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