One teacher each in 54 schools in 2 Gujarat districts; 905 posts vacant: Government

GANDHINAGAR: As many as 54 government primary schools in two districts of Gujarat are functioning with only one teacher each, while more than 900 posts of teachers are lying vacant in these districts, the state Assembly was informed on Wednesday. Sharing the information in the House, the government said steps are being taken to provide proper education to students studying in state-run schools.

Responding to a query by Aam Aadmi Party MLA Hemant Ahir during Question Hour about a shortage of teachers in Jamnagar and Devbhumi Dwarka districts, Education Minister Kuber Dindor informed that 54 government primary schools in these districts are functioning with only one teacher in each institute. Of these 54 schools, 46 are in Devbhumi Dwarka district and eight in its neighbouring Jamnagar, Dindor said. He added that posts of teacher are lying vacant because of their transfer out of these districts or retirement.

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In all, 905 posts of teachers in government-run, granted and non-granted primary schools of Jamnagar (330 posts) and Devbhumi Dwarka (575) are lying vacant at present, said the minister. Dindor said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is taking various steps to ensure no student is deprived of education due to the shortage of educators. He informed the House that process to recruit teachers for government schools is currently underway.

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Unitl a permanent teacher is appointed, the state government imparts education to students by sending "pravasi" (visiting) teachers to schools facing a shortage, said Dindor. While 102 visiting teachers were appointed in Jamnagar, 256 such appointments were made in Devbhumi Dwarka as a temporary arrangement to make sure students do not suffer, said the minister.

Responding to a related question raised by Congress MLA Shailesh Parmar, Dindor informed the Assembly that 2,082 posts of teachers are lying vacant in government primary schools in the districts of Ahmedabad (1,708 vacancies) and Gandhinagar (374). The two districts cover Ahmedabad city, Gujarat's commercial hub, and the state capital of Gandhinagar.