The school education system of Assam is facing two challenges simultaneously. While thousands of schools are running with a shortage of teachers and a drop in student enrolment, nearly 25,000 educational institutions have approached the state government seeking provincialisation.The figures were presented before the Assam Legislative Assembly, where the government shared details of the state’s school education system.
Lack of teachers, low enrollment in focus
Official data presented to the House showed that there are 60,032 vacant teaching posts in the state’s schools. The Department of Education also informed the Assembly that 7,948 schools are operating without the prescribed student-teacher ratio, raising concerns about classroom teaching and compliance with education standards.The data also showed that 32,321 schools have less than 30 students, reflecting declining enrollment in various parts of Assam.The Opposition expressed concern over the high number of vacant places and low enrolment, arguing that both remain major obstacles to improving learning outcomes in government schools, IANS reports
Nearly 25,000 institutions seek provincialisation
Education Minister Ranoj Pegu informed the Assembly that nearly 25,000 educational institutions have applied for provincialization after the online portal was opened.According to the data shared in the House, the applications include 6,163 elementary schools, 10,101 high schools, 5,733 middle schools and 1,222 high schools.Pegu said the applications are being examined under the provisions of the Assam Education (Provincialization of Teaching Services and Reorganization of Educational Institutions) Act and related rules. He also said that the recruitment of teachers and principals in government schools is being carried out as per the directions of the courts and the recruitment policy of the state.The government maintained that steps are being taken to fill vacancies, rationalize resources and strengthen the school education system.