Education minister regrets 'minuscule' budget
Source: Chronicle News Service
Thoubal, December 22 2022:
While acknowledging that with the retirement of around 700 teachers on a yearly basis there is acute shortage of teachers in government schools of the state, education minister Th Basanta has stated that the government is yet to decide on recruitment of new teachers.
Speaking as chief guest at the annual prize distribution function of Thoudam Leishangthem High School, Thoubal on Thursday, minister Basanta informed that there is shortage of around 7000 teachers in the state as of now.
However, there is no specific plan for recruitment process to fill up the shortage.
Admitting that the budgetary allocation for education department is not commensurate with the actual requirement, the minister said that since the budget amount is limited, there is no fund left for infrastructure development after releasing salaries of teachers.
"However, under the BJP-led government led by chief minister N Biren, several measures have been taken up to improve the education system in the state including launch of 'School Fagathansi' mission and develop the infrastructure in addition to solving the problem of teachers' shortage".
Minister Basanta also expressed disappointment over the complaints made by teachers when the process of rationalization of teachers is being taken up by the government wherein teachers from schools with less number of students are being transferred to schools with healthy enrolment.
"There are schools in the heart of Imphal where there are no students but only teachers," he revealed.
The minister then assured of improving the infrastructure of Leishangthem Thoudam High School by providing new benches and desks very soon and also construct a new building of the school.
The function organised jointly by the school, local clubs and organisations, Leishangthem Chaokhat Lup and Senior Citizen Forum, was also attended by Khangabok MLA Okram Surjakumar as president and Education (s) additional director (valley) Kh Bisheswor, ZEO Zone-III Thoubal Arambam Anilkumar, retired AI Zone-III I Bijoy, former headmaster of Thoudam Leishangthem High school Thongam Mangi and retired assistant teacher Y Nodyachand as guests of honour.