DEHRADUN: In a groundbreaking move, the Uttarakhand Commission for Rural Development and Migration Prevention has submitted its first-ever survey report to the state government, highlighting alarming deficiencies in primary and secondary education across the region.
According to official sources, the report reveals states that 1,149 primary schools in the state have no teachers. The commission expressed deep concern over the declining number of students in primary schools located in mountainous areas, coupled with a significant shortage of teachers.
In its comprehensive 204-page survey report, the commission detailed the stark disparity between the number of schoolchildren and teachers in these regions. "There are currently 12,065 primary schools operating in Uttarakhand, and shockingly, nearly 50 percent of these institutions lack a principal," the findings of the commission reveal.
The Migration Prevention Commission also revealed, "There are no teachers available to educate students in 263 schools from primary to secondary level. Classes 1 to 5 and 6 to 8 are the most affected." The report further stated that there are 180 schools at the primary to upper primary level where only 242 teachers are teaching just one student each. The highest number of such schools is found in the districts of Pauri, Almora, and Tehri.
In a startling revelation, the Migration Prevention Commission reported, "In Uttarakhand, there is only one teacher assigned to educate students in 3,504 schools. The highest concentration of these schools is found in the districts of Pithoragarh, Pauri, and Chamoli. Additionally, there are single-student classes in 8,324 classrooms from primary to secondary levels."
Speaking with The New Indian Express, Dr. S.S. Negi, Vice Chairman of the Migration Prevention Commission, called for urgent reforms in education for mountainous regions. "We recommend that students in primary schools receive additional concessions for higher education applications," he said.
He also suggested the establishment of a separate transfer policy to ensure teacher availability, advocating for the removal of residency requirements that force teachers to live 8 to 10 kilometers from schools. "Rural teachers should receive a 25 percent salary increase and other benefits as incentives," Negi added.
He stressed the importance of mandatory training for new teachers and housing facilities near schools, while also calling for improvements in school infrastructure, including laboratories and playgrounds. The commission's recent survey highlights a troubling decline in enrollment for grades One to Five, which Negi described as "a matter of concern."
