660 teacher posts lying vacant since 2013: Yitachu

Kohima, March 25 (EMN): Minister for School Education Yitachu made a shocking revelation that 660 posts of graduate and primary teachers were lying vacant in the education department since 2013.

Replying to a starred question asked by MLA Mmhonlumo Kikon during the 15th session of 12th assembly on March 24, the minister stated that a total number of 128 graduate teachers and 532 primary teachers posts have fallen vacant after the retirement or demise of teachers from 2013 till 2017. These vacant posts, according to the minister, are proposed to be filled after the “freezing” is lifted by the State government.

On the number of schools producing nil results in HSLC examination for the last three years, Yitachu stated: 24 schools in 2014, 38 in 201 and 30 in 2016.

He said remedial measures were taken by the department to improve the High School Leaving Certificate results in government high schools including rationalisation of school and teachers, posting of headmasters and assistant headmasters to school where there were none, appointment of mathematics and science teachers during “freezing” period, coaching classes, strengthening/ monitoring/ inspection of schools and remedial teaching in English, math and science under RMSA and SSA.

Yitachu attributed the poor result in performance of government schools to shortage in teaching manpower. However, he pointed that during 2014-15, out of 293 high schools, 132 were provided with teachers, while 111 schools were provided with teachers in 201 mid-year and 21 more were covered in 2016. He said 21 more are yet to be provided adequate number of teachers.

He also said that 168 schools have been running without administrative control as headmasters were not posted in those schools, adding till today, about 50% of the government schools were running without proper math and science teachers.

Also replying to a supplementary question on proxy teachers and ghost teachers raised by MLA Kuzholuzo Nienu, Yitachu said many people open schools to create employment opportunities and not to educate children and in some worst cases there were no enrolment of students but teachers are stationed just for the sake of getting paid. The minister also said communitisation of schools had negative impact on the education system as it was alleged that many VECs were forcing teachers to keep locals in their place of posting thereby encouraging proxy and substitute teachers trend.

There is also the issue on the need to train more than 10,000 teachers in the State while the intake capacity of teachers’ training institutes stood only at 200-300.

Several other MLAs questioned as to the remedial measures being taken by the department to address the issue of improving the performance of government schools and imparting quality education to the younger generation. Cornered, Yitachu said considering all these reasons, charging the department alone would not help the issue.

Parliamentary Secretary Jacob Zhimomi said matters relating to education department required serious deliberation as the department was the only human resource department in the State. “We are all jointly responsible to find out a remedy,” he stated, adding it would not be able to change the existing system overnight but somebody needs to make the first move towards change.

Towards this, he also suggested that the education department start by framing some stricter policies to streamline the teachers issue.

On the reason for delay of salaries for RMSA and SSA teachers including Hindi teachers, the minister replied that it was due to delay in receipt of funds from MHRD.