NILGIRIS: The education of students, most of them children of estate workers, is affected as many teacher posts remain vacant in the Gudalur model government higher secondary school.
According to sources, one post remains vacant for Tamil and English subjects against the sanctioned strength of three in each category. Likewise, history and agriculture teacher’s posts are also vacant. Moreover, out of the sanctioned strength of four, only two commerce teachers are working.
R Ranjit of O-Valley Makkal Iyakkam, who came to know about the vacancies after a reply from the Nilgiris Chief Educational Office (CEO), said, “The teacher’s post for agriculture subject has been vacant since May as the teacher retired. The parent-teacher association appointed a temporary teacher to teach 55 students. But we suspect the department is planning to remove the subject from the school.” Ranjit said that last year, soon after the retirement of the teacher, education department officials removed the subject from school. “I filed a petition, following which, former district collector SP Amrith directed the education department to include the course in June,” he said.
“Children of tea estate workers and other workers in Gudalur and Pandalur taluk depend on this 75-year-old school. The state government should appoint teachers for all vacant posts,” said Ranjit, who has also sent petitions to the Prime Minister’s office and Rashtrapati Bhavan. Sources in the education department told TNIE that they have informed the higher officials in Chennai and the posts would be filled soon along with other vacancies across the state.