Contract teachers to be appointed in Pune schools with 10 or less students

The state is set to appoint contract teachers in schools with 10 or fewer students, resuming the process post-election by November 26.

With the school education department issuing a letter one month ago approving the appointment of teachers in schools with 10 or less students, the contract teacher selection process for such schools in the state has started and they are likely to get new teachers in the coming days.

While the number of Marathi medium schools in villages increased, the number of students in these schools gradually decreased. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

A senior education official on condition of anonymity said, “A month ago, the school education department issued a letter approving the appointment of teachers in schools with 10 or less students. Thereafter, the contract teacher selection process for such schools in the state has started. Therefore, it is expected that these schools will get new teachers in the coming days.”

“There are thousands of schools in the state with a roll of less than 10. Contract teachers will be appointed on an honorarium basis in these schools. Applications have been invited from candidates interested in working as teachers in all low-roll schools in the state. New teachers will be appointed in the next few days,” the official said.

One teacher will be appointed in schools with 10 or less students. While the education department had started working towards this, the process ground to a halt due to the election code of conduct coming into force ahead of the recently concluded state assembly elections. After the code is lifted on November 26, the process is likely to gain momentum again.

Education activist Shantanu Ghatekar said, “As per the government’s approval, one contract teacher will be appointed in each of these schools on an honorarium basis. Earlier, one contract teacher was to be appointed in schools across the district with 20 or less students. After that, a change was made and now one teacher will be appointed in schools with a roll of 10 or less students.”

While the number of Marathi medium schools in villages increased, the number of students in these schools gradually decreased. Ever since, efforts are being made at the government level to bring low-roll schools back to their previous status.