Pupil-teacher ratio poor

The New Indian Express, April 12, 2008

BHAWANIPATNA: Rationalisation of pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) and universalisation of education is one problem that has been haunting primary education in Kalahandi.There has long been a debate in maintaining an equilibilibrium in PTR ratio in the district but this hasn’t yielded any result so far. As a result, there is heavy concentration of teachers in urban pockets whereas schools in rural area have comparatively less number of teachers.For instance, in Bhawanipatna Municipality, the PTR is 19.16 whereas in rural pockets and interior blocks like Thuamul- Rampur, it is 51.90, Lanjigarh 44.08 and Golamunda 40.78.In Bhawanipatna Municipality, for 39 primary schools there are 222 lady teachers and 34 male teachers, a total of 256 as against the requirement of 148.In Dewan Shebpada School, for 54 students there are eight teachers as against the requirement of two. In Dhobapada, for 57 students there are three teachers, in Golap Manjari for 59 students there are six teachers.Similarly, in Shaktinagar for 47 students there are four teachers and in Police Children School for 85 students there are nine teachers. But in Belur Primary School in Madanpur-Rampur block for 126 students there is one teacher, in Ainlajore school of Dharamgarh block for 239 students, there are just two teachers, in Nichemask of Thuamul-Rampur block for 110 students there is only one teacher.The matter was raised in the ZP meeting held in January this year at Bhawanipatna. It had been resolved to weed out surplus teachers from urban areas to the schools in rural areas.Accordingly, it was decided to send surplus teachers from Bhawanipatna Municipality on deputation to the nearby rural schools having shortage of teachers. Basing on the decision, 79 women teachers from Bhawanipatna Municipality have been served with deputation order but this led to agitation.The women teachers who were picketing in front of the office of DI of Schools called off the strike after the Collector did not concede to the demand and the ZP meeting too did not show concern.