Himachal: Government school in remote tribal area set to lose its only teacher, students protest

NEW DELHI: Demanding filling of teachers' posts, students of a government school in a remote tribal area in Himachal's Chamba district protested outside its premises and blocked a road on Tuesday after the school's only teacher was transferred. The students of Government Senior Secondary School, Lamu, carried 'Takhi' (a small wooden plate) with their demand of filling vacant posts inscribed on it and raised slogans. They later blocked the Choli-Quarsi road.

"The parents are worried as the shortage of teachers in the backwards tribal region has put the future of the students at risk and we urge the government to immediately appoint adequate staff," said Lal Chand, Sarpanch of Lamu village. The protest came as the school's Political Science teacher, the only teacher posted there, was transferred through the intervention of the court on his plea. The school would be without any teacher after he is relieved.

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The President of the School Management Committee (SMC), Ashok Kumar, who also joined the protest, lamented that ever since the school was opened five years ago, only one teacher was managing it. "In spite of our repeated requests to fill the post of teachers and provide adequate infrastructure, nothing has been done and the students are migrating to other schools," he said.

As many as 32 students were enrolled in Class 11 and 12 when the school was opened, but the strength is declining due to the shortage of staff and infrastructure. Local BJP MLA Janak Raj said there was only one teacher in the school, and he has also been transferred, threatening the shutdown of the school, and blamed the policy of the state government for the situation. He said that students from well-off families have migrated to other schools while poor students have been left in the lurch, and the present Congress government has failed to retain teachers in tough and remote areas.