A total of 700 government-run primary schools in Gujarat are managed by a single teacher, who teaches all students of classes 1 to 8, the state legislature was informed on Monday.
While Kutch has 100 such schools with one teacher each, tribal districts of Mahisagar with 74 such schools and Tapi with 59 such schools are among the 33 districts of the state that have the highest number of primary schools being run by a single teacher, stated the data tabled by state government during the Question Hour.
Such schools are present even in districts with huge urban pockets. As many as 43 schools in Surat, four in Ahmedabad, 38 in Vadodara and 16 schools in Rajkot have just one educator each.
Kheda and Bhavnagar are the only districts without any such schools with a single teacher.
The Opposition Congress party pointed out that the government-run primary schools have classes 1 to 8 and a class also has multiple sections. “How does a single teacher manage so many classes and students,” the party asked.
In response, the state government said retirements, deaths and transfers of teachers have caused this situation. The government added that the required number of teachers will be appointed as soon as possible.
During Question Hour on Monday, Congress MLA Lalit Kagathara claimed that in Ghanshyamgadh village of Halvad taluka, the native village of Jayanti Kavadiya, vice-president of BJP, there were no teachers and the local school had been closed.
“Similarly, Thorala village in my assembly constituency (Rajkot) which is also the native village of (labour and employment) minister Brijesh Merja does not have a single teacher. Do you plan to make the necessary appointments,” Kagathara asked.
“The government does not have any information regarding this. But this information does not appear to be true,” said education minister Jitu Vaghani in response to the MLA.
Primary schools closed
In reply to various questions asked during the Question Hour on Monday, the government stated that 86 government-run primary schools in Gujarat were closed and 491 others were merged in the past two years. The highest number of schools shut are in Junagadh district (25 schools.)
The government also said that 563 posts for Kelavani Nirikshak or assistant education inspector were lying vacant, with only 30 occupied. There are 17 districts that do not have a single inspector. The government also stated through various replies that 132 posts of taluka primary education officer were filled, while 93 posts were lying vacant.