Tripura schools face severe shortage after termination of 8,000 teachers

According to officials from the district education office, there is a shortage of 87 teachers of different subjects in 67 higher secondary schools in the district.

At least 67 senior secondary schools in the South district of Tripura are experiencing a severe shortage of teachers since the past nine months, according to officials. To deal with the crisis, the South district education office has shortlisted 30 teachers to take additional classes in different schools till another arrangement is made.

Teachers from different schools in the districts have been asked to teach at other schools as well to deal with the crisis of teachers. (File Photo)

The crisis began with over 8,000 school teachers’ termination after March last year. Total 10,323 schools teachers were terminated following an order of the Tripura high court in 2014, due to faulty recruitment. The apex court upheld the HC order in 2017. Over 8,000 affected teachers were reappointed on an adhoc basis, the tenure for which expired on March 31 last year.

According to officials from the district education office, there is a shortage of 87 teachers of different subjects in 67 higher secondary schools in the district.

“We need teachers in English, Bengali, Economics, Political Science, History, Sanskrit, Biology and Chemistry. We have asked nearly 30 teachers to take classes in some schools for three days a week in addition to their normal duties. That means, they will take classes three days in their own schools and another three days in other schools. We have started the process since last month,” said South district education officer Lakshman Chandra Das.

A memo was issued recently from his office asking some teachers to take additional classes in other schools. “Due to acute shortage of teaching staff at Abhoynagar H.S School, Belonia, West Bokafa H.S School, Santirbazar & Muhuripur H.S School, Santirbazar, the following allotment of duties are hereby made for the interest of students of the schools,” the memo signed by the district education officer said.

However, no separate data on the crisis of teachers from seven other districts has been made available.

Currently, the sacked teachers are holding a sit-in-demonstration since last December 7, demanding a permanent solution to their situation.

The state has nearly 27,000 school teachers in 4,400 government run and government-aided schools. There are over 3,100 teachers in 160 secondary and senior secondary schools in the South district.

The Tripura Teachers’ Recruitment Board started a recruitment drive last November to fill up 4,080 vacancies in teaching posts.