The government, which seems to be in a hurry to sanction more Plus-II batches, has not addressed the shortage of teachers in aided higher secondary schools, where it sanctioned additional batches two years ago, reveals information accessed through the Right To Information (RTI) Act.
The RTI reply shows that the difference between the teachers posts recommended and those sanctioned is more glaring in the case of junior higher secondary school teachers (HSSTJunior).
It was in 2011 that the government sanctioned 550 new Plus-II batches in 368 aided schools and 182 government schools.
During the 2011- 12 academic year, though the actual requirement of HSST Juniors was 422 in aided schools, only 315 posts were sanctioned - a deficit of 107, according to the reply given by the Directorate of Higher Secondary Education.
In 2012-13, though 838 HSST Junior teachers posts were to be sanctioned, the government gave its nod for only 654 - a deficit of 184.
On the whole, 291 HSST Junior posts have not been sanctioned.
The RTI reply also reveals that the government has not approved the upgradation of 99 HSST Juniors to HSSTs.
Also, six HSST posts were not given sanction.
The Directorate of Higher Secondary Education refused to provide a proper answer to the query on why 396 teachers posts were not accorded sanction.
“The decision on the creation of posts has been taken at the government-level.
The process of submitting recommendations to rectify these lapses are in the final stages,” the RTI reply said.
The teachers, recruited by aided managements immediately after the government sanctioned Plus-II batches, have been working without salary for over two years.
With the government giving sanction only to 2,058 out of 2,454 teachers posts, the fate of the remaining teachers hangs in the balance.
“The appointment of even those teachers, whose recruitment has been carried out as per the Government Order dated 15-7-2013, has not been approved till date.
We demand that the government immediately address the shortage of teachers and disburse salary to all of them with retrospective effect, instead of sanctioning new Plus-II schools,” Aided Higher Secondary Teachers’ Association secretary S Manoj said.