Srinagar: Despite beating the drums of taking school education to new heights, the authorities in the school education department have failed to maintain the pupil-teacher ratio in schools.

The government schools from primary level to high schools have disproportionate pupil-teacher ratio despite the much hyped exercise- rationalization of schools-initiated by the present regime some three years.

Amid the failure of the government to maintain uniform teacher student ratio, the educational institutions in rural areas have been left to crave for adequate staff for students. On the other hand the schools in cities and towns are being used as resting places for influential lot.

Government Primary School (GPS) Sonshah Mohallah Shahgund in Zone Hajin of Bandipora district has only teacher to teach the entire batch of students. The school was established in 2005 under Sarva Shiksha (SSA) scheme but has been left unattended by the government.

The school has no proper building and lacks all the basic facilities which are prerequisite for an educational institution. The lone ReT teacher is managing 100 students enrolled in the school up to class 5th. Besides, the school has no peon or sweeper to take care of cleanliness in the school, an insider in the department said.

This school has no toilet, no electricity facilities, dogs are roaming freely in the lawns of the school thus posing a threat to small children and worse, the school has been functioning without a library.

When contacted, Chief Education Officer (CEO) Bandipora Munshi Javaid said the district is facing dearth of teachers which has left some schools teacher deficient.

“Another teacher will be posted in the school within days. Other things will be also looked into,” he said.

It may be recalled that the education authorities in Budgam district suspended 11 teachers of Humhama High School who were found absent from school. The CEO Budgam had revealed that the institution has 27 teachers for around 50 students and most of the teachers posted in the school are females.

Sources in the department said the influential teachers manage their postings in easily accessible schools out of their political and bureaucratic influence.

“Due to this the teachers in cities and towns outnumber the students while as in rural areas the schools crave for adequate staff,” he said.

Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) G N Itoo said the department is aware of the problems and is looking for ways and means to overcome the problem.

“We are trying our best to streamline the pupil-teacher ratio in schools but have not succeeded completely,” he accepted.

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