Poor teacher-student ratio at CBSE school spurs parents’ protest

The NMMC-run CBSE board school at Koparkhairane has 10 teachers for 1,375 students presently. The scarcity of teachers forced the school to stagger classes twice and thrice a week instead of daily classes, say parents

NAVI MUMBAI: The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) failure to provide adequate number of teachers for its first CBSE board school in Koparkhairane for almost two years in a row on Thursday triggered a strong protest from the parents of children enrolled in the school. Concerned about their children’s education, over 100-odd parents assembled at the school seeking answers from the school management .

Parents protest outside NMMC-run CBSE School at Koparkhairane against poor teacher-student ratio in the school , on Thursday, June 22, 2023. A total of 10 teachers teach over 1300 students (Bachchan Kumar/ HT PHOTO)

With just 10 teachers, the school management has been struggling to provide proper education to the 1,375 students enrolled from Class I to VI. Depicting the utter mismanagement was a timetable issued for the new academic year wherein specific days were given for each standard to attend school. “Just imagine our plight to see that students cannot be sent to school daily only because there are no teachers available. As per the new timetable, class I and II students will get to attend school only on Mondays and Wednesdays. Earlier there used to be four divisions of these standards, but that is now clubbed into two divisions,” said a parent present at the protest.

According to the timetable, Standard III and V students could attend school only on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. “Even in these standards, the number of classes has been reduced drastically. So standard III now has only two divisions, and the entire Class VI and V have only one class. Due to this at a time there are more than 160 students in a class, and they are being made to attend school only twice a week.” said another parent

As per CBSE board, the pupil teachers’ ratio should not exceed 30:1 in the school. In addition to this, there must be 1.5 teachers per section, excluding principal, physical education teacher and counselor, to teach various subjects. “Since the time, this school was commissioned in 2018, the number of teachers has always been less. Over the years the number of students and standards increased with no increase in the teaching staff. currently more than 100 students are being taught by 1 teacher,” said another parent.

Parents protest outside NMMC-run CBSE School at Koparkhairane against poor teacher-student ratio in the school , on Thursday, June 22, 2023. A total of 10 teachers teach over 1300 students (Bachchan Kumar/ HT PHOTO)

Angered with the state of affairs, the parents protested in large numbers outside the school. Many while relating their anguish were in tears and sought from the corporation to resolve the matter or conduct classes at the headquarters. “Such a serious matter involving the future of so many children but not a single person of authority from NMMC has come. Is it wrong for the parents to ask about teachers? Because of the poor quality education given, no other schools are willing to give admissions as their marks are very low,“ said a parent Sagar Patil.

By afternoon the protest also garnered political support from both the BJP and the MNS local units backing the protestors. Former corporator Suraj Patil in a letter addressed to the Municipal commissioner has threatened a hunger strike from July 3 onwards if the administration does not resolve the matter. “What is the point of sending children to school when there are no teachers available? We are no longer wanting false assurances and since administration is not willing to give us anything in writing, we have decided to not send students to school,” said Ayesha khan, another parent

Municipal Commissioner Rajesh Narvekar said the civic body is working to resolve the matter at the earliest. “On Wednesday itself, orders were issued for giving appointment letters to seven new teachers and they will be joining from next week onwards. Additionally, an agency has been identified who will look into further recruitments so that the school can function in an appropriate manner,” he said.