“Requirement of teachers will be carried out through arobust process based on projections for the number of teachers needed, takinginto consideration the requirements for subject teachers as well as specialteachers at all schools within a school complex”. This is what has been written in the visiondocument of new India (NEP-2019). If we take thorough review of teacher pupilration and look at the teachers’ requirement more particularly at high schoollevel with regard to J & K state, it reflects a grim picture. Theteacher-pupil ratio is quite disproportionate. There are reports reflected inmedia from time to time that there are some schools that have no studentenrolled but government has still posted two or three teachers there incontrast to the recommended pupil-teacher ratio. When a common man seeks thereasons from the concerned officials about this disparity, the answer is thatthe posts are sanctioned against the particular school not against the Zone orComplex. The previous state government in power developed the timely mechanismto address this problem, they ordered the rationalization of staff and clubbingof schools with low enrolment but all those measures didn’t yield desirableresults. In fact, it created chaos and confusion among the students who areconsidered as the prime beneficiaries of any education policy. One of the maindrawbacks of this rationalization initiative is that it is the temporaryarrangement not a permanent solution. Mostly this rationalization processoccurs in the mid-session of the academic calendar or at the end. Students arecompelled to complete their syllabi under two or three tutors in one academicsession which the experts of education psychology don’t endorse. Anotherconcern; no consideration is given to subject teachers mainly at high schoollevel which is need of the hour because our curriculum has changed a lot. Our Science/ mathematics books are practicaloriented and our English books contain the lessons which based on abstraction –Drama and Novel. How can a teacher who himself is stranger to that particularsubject do justice with that subject is a big question. Such questions areusually answered by those who are at the helm of affairs with a smiling face:”Govt School ma chalta hai”. Unfortunately, In various government schools teachers with non-sciencebackground are asked to take science classes because the old aged title isassociated with him – General Line Teacher. He/she is supposed to teach anysubject whether well versed in that particular subject or not. There areinstances where one particular school is staffed with more than two subjectteachers and another school falling within the jurisdiction of same zone iswithout subject teacher.
The scope of improvement is always there for every processor policy. Let us hope the new way of posting/requirement process at the Schoolcomplex level as envisaged in NEP-2019brings positive change in our education system. Let this new process replaceour traditional mode of requirement/posting and due consideration be given tothe areas like pupil teacher ratio, the need of the subject in a particularschool. Also may it fulfil the needs of specially gifted students by appointingat least one teacher having obtained professional course like B.Ed in specialeducation. It is our collective belief of teacher that if these recommendationwill be implemented with sincerity and dedication, it will have a good impacton overall education process. Our whole education system will not only becomegoal oriented but will also enable the school administration to exploit thehuman resource effectively within the system which is available to us in theform of best and qualified teachers
Haroon Rashid Bhat is Teacher BMS- Dignibal Zone, Ganderbal.