Baramulla, Feb 16: Parents in different rural areas of Baramulla district are unwilling to send their children to government schools due to shortage of teachers compelling them to opt for far- off schools which are mostly unaffordable for poor students.
Govt Higher Secondary School, Bandi Payeen, which serves nearly 100 students, faces a severe shortage of teaching staff, affecting its ability to offer quality education.
Locals said that the situation worsened this year, particularly in science stream, with only one student enrolling, highlighting the growing academic crisis.
As per residents, the school lacks teachers for essential subjects like chemistry, mathematics, education, and political science, leaving students, especially those from remote areas, struggling to keep up with their studies. Many students now face an uncertain academic future due to the absence of qualified faculty.
The Higher Secondary School is headless. A science teacher looks after it as its incharge.
“They should have shut down this institution. Ever since it was upgraded, there has been neither a single teacher nor any improvement,” said Imtiyaz Rather, a local resident.
“Why should I send my child to this institution without teachers? I want my son to become a doctor. I have enrolled him in another school, spending Rs 3,000 every month on his fare,” said Mohammad Ramazan, a parent.
Ghulam Nabi, a former Sarpanch said visited the office of Chief Education Officer Baramulla multiple times to depute teachers but they have failed to do anything. “What is the purpose of upgrading this school if there are no teachers,” he said.
It is evident that the authorities have been forced to bring in a political science teacher from a nearby middle school originally tasked with teaching primary and middle school students.
Without the necessary specialization to teach higher-level political science, this teacher is now responsible for covering the 11th and 12th syllabus.
“Since 2018, no teacher has been appointed for Education and Political Science. How can a Rehbar-e-Taleem (RET) teacher teach these subjects at a higher level,” asked a lecturer posted at this school.
Students from remote areas like Nagbal-Nilsar, Saterseran, and Dandmoh also suffer as they lack quality education in their locality.
The residents urged Minister for Education, Sakeena Itoo and Director of School Education Kashmir to address the issue and fill the vacant posts at the school to ensure better education for the students otherwise they would shut down the schools.
Meanwhile, CEO Baramulla, Altaf Hussain, told Rising Kashmir that he will look into the matter as he has recently joined the department.
