Absence of teachers crippling education in Nizamabad schools

Nizamabad: The government schools are unable to retain the increased number of students who were enrolled after the Covid pandemic and introduction of English medium of instruction from this academic year. Reason? The ill-conceived decisions of Education department officials in Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts.

Most of the government schools in these districts are facing shortage of teachers who are either on long leave or sent on deputation to other schools.

Although the English medium is being implemented in order to compete with the private schools, the expected results are not coming. Since the announcement of switching over English medium of instruction in schools many parents had withdrawn their wards from private schools and got them enrolled into government schools. But due to the decision of sending teachers on deputation and also giving long leave, many schools are suffering and affecting the study of students. Nizamabad and Kamareddy district education officials are acting negligently even though some teachers are working abroad on long leave.

On the other hand, private schools are willing to waive fees for two academic years due to the Covid pandemic to increase the strength of their students. Due to this parents are not interested in sending their children to government schools.

As many as 143 students are studying in a government upper primary school in Nagalagon village of Jukkal mandal. The school offers education till 8th standard. 8 teachers are required but the school is run with six teachers only.

Recently, Telugu Pandit Abdul Rahman took long leave and went to London. The headmaster said that RJD has also given permission to Rahman to go abroad. Archana, a female teacher, was sent on deputation to Kaulas school by the mandal education officer. Currently, this school is functioning with only four teachers. Taruna, a teacher at Peddagulla School in Jukkal constituency, is going on long leave. Naveen Kumar, a school assistant at Mohammadabad School was sent to ZPHS school in Pedda on deputation. Telugu Pandit in Narender Jukkal School was sent on deputation to Peddaedgi village ZPHS School.

Not only that. In Nizamabad district, there is a rush for deputation for roadside schools. Government schools in remote areas are forced to be closed with teachers coming on deputation to a school like Borgam (P). Two teachers from Navipet Boy's School went on deputation to the roadside school. With this, there was no English and biology teacher. A teacher from Dharpalli came on deputation to Borgam.

Teachers in Pedda Thakkadpalli and Gopanapalli in Bichkunda mandal have been transferred to other schools on deputation.

In Peddakodapgal, Pitlam, Nizamsagar mandal MEOs are issuing deputation orders and the education system has completely derailed. The village sarpanchs have complained to the MEO several times but to no avail. They are demanding that the deputation teachers working in the respective village schools should be sent back. Nagalagaon village sarpanch Kapil Patil, former sarpanch Anil Gonda and school development committee chairman Ashok Gonda spoke to The Hans India and demanded that steps be taken to make the teachers who are on deputation and on long-term leave to be called back.

PDSU leader Rajeshwar alleged that 83 government teachers in Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts are on long-term leave and working abroad. Some teachers are working in software companies in Bangalore and Hyderabad. Similarly, hundreds of teachers are accused of continuing on deputation illegally. In such a situation, it is the students who pay the price as their studies suffer due to absence of teachers.