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Govt schools short of 22k teachers: Minister
Punjab school education minister Harjot Singh Bains said government schools in the state are short of 22,000 teachers against the required strength. He said in the first stage, the education department will fill around 15,000 vacant posts by February 15, 2023.
: Punjab school education minister Harjot Singh Bains said government schools in the state are short of 22,000 teachers against the required strength. He said in the first stage, the education department will fill around 15,000 vacant posts by February 15, 2023.
According to official figures, there are a total of 1,12,927 teachers across 19,138 primary and upper primary government schools in the state. In the wake of increased enrolment of students at government schools post the pandemic, several schools are grappling with shortage of required staff.
A government school principal requesting anonymity said as the department has recently promoted 205 lecturers as principals, the vacant post of lecturers of various subjects should be filled immediately.
He said, “Due to insufficient infrastructure, including classrooms for students, eight schools in Ludhiana which have over 2,000 students are taking classes in double shift. The government should identify such schools and issue funds to develop their infrastructure.”
The minister was here to inaugurate a state-level games for children with special needs at Guru Nanak Stadium.
He said games will provide a platform to differently abled children to display their talent.
Replying to a media query on the party’s weak performance in the Himachal polls, he said, “As the contest was two-cornered, the party could not get enough votes, but it is a great achievement that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has become a national party in just 10 years.”
He said it had come to light that several schools in Shahkot in Jalandhar district were without electricity, “I have directed the district education officer to resolve the issue and will write to Punjab State Power Corporation Limited not to cut the connection of government schools.”
