Staff shortage bane of Tarn Taran village school

The Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Dhotian, lacks sufficient number of teachers for students from classes 6 to 12, speaking volumes of the “apathetic” attitude of the state government and Education Department.

The school caters to students from 20 surrounding villages. After persistent efforts, residents had got the school upgraded from high to senior secondary level about 10 years back. Though there are other co-educational government schools in the area, a section of society is reluctant to send girls to the co-ed institutions. Due to this reason, the dropout rate after Class 10 is high in the area.

Ravinder Singh Gill, chairman of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Social Welfare and Cultural club, Dhotian, said the Education Department had sanctioned 14 posts, including principal, four lecturers and nine teachers of master cadre. Barring the principal, all other posts are lying vacant for the last five years. There is no teacher for classes 11 and 12. Ravinder Singh said the principal was trying to make alternative arrangements for students of the higher classes, but they would not be able to cover the syllabus. Four post of teachers of the master cadre for science, maths, DPE and art and craft are lying vacant.

Sources revealed that out of the nine posts of the master cadre, four teachers are there for about 250 students, as per the record of the 2024-25 academic session. One teacher of the master cadre has been reportedly adjusted on deputation to his home district against the norms.

The Education Department has barred adjustments on deputation. However, certain teachers use their political links to get posting near their hometowns. These teachers were appointed in Tarn Taran district to fill vacancies. Official sources in the department said 200 teachers from the secondary level had got themselves adjusted on deputation in their home districts.

Principal Harwinder Kaur said the department had been apprised of the situation from time to time. The school does not have a playground as a result the girls are unable to get primary physical training they need to land jobs in the police, military and para military forces.

Amritsar