CHITRADURGA: As many as 17 schools in Molakalmuru and Challakere taluks of Chitradurga district have no teachers available to manage their students. There are no private schools in the taluk, leaving many children from marginalised and middle-class communities depending only on public education. Education Minister, BC Nagesh remarked in Udipi recently that “the situation will be difficult for children post Dasara once schools open fully”.
The absence of primary school teachers is detrimental to the development of children, especially since 1 to 5-grade classes are to begin soon in the district. The Education Department, and the Border Area Development Authority, which is in charge of improving infrastructure, education, and health conditions at state borders, have not addressed the acute staff shortage at schools.
Of the 17 government schools that have no staff, 16 belong to the Molakalmuru assembly constituency, represented by District In-charge and Transport Minister, B Sriramulu, and the other school comes under Challakere assembly constituency, represented by T Raghumurthy.
Raghumurthy said to The New Indian Express, “Education is the key indicator of development and it should be given prominence. At a time when the state government is speaking on National Education Policy (NEP), they should also take the initiative of filling the teacher vacancies in the backward taluks of Challakere and Molakalmuru, so the students will have access to quality education.”
DDPI Chitradurga, K Ravishankar Reddy told The New Indian Express, “The department is set to start the schools after Dasara holidays and we will take the help of guest faculty for teaching the children. The textbooks and uniforms have already been distributed to these children.”