Staff shortage dogs 'Mission' school in Kpi
Source: Chronicle News Service
Kangpokpi, February 24 2023:
Despite the government's efforts to streamline the government schools in the state by introducing the "School Fagathansi Mission", Tujang Vaichong Government High School has been found reeling under an acute shortage of teaching and non-staff.
Interestingly, it is said to be one of the best-performing government schools in Kangpokpi district.
Apart from being one of the best-performing schools, the Tujang Vaichong school has an overwhelming number of students enrolled with more than 600 pupils.
Surprisingly, there are only seven teaching and non-teach-ing staff to run the school.
A team of Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO) Sadar Hills led by its general secretary Thang-tinlen Haokip accompanied by members of Kuki Inpi Kangpokpi visited the school on Friday and they were shocked to find acute shortage of teaching and non-teaching staff in the school.
Speaking to media, KSO Sa dar Hills education secretary Abraham Haokip conveyed the student body's indignation over acute shortage of teaching and non-teaching staff at the high school and said that T Vaichong Government High School enlisted under the "School Fagathansi Mission" has one of the highest numbers of students in Kangpokpi district with more than 600 students.
He also said that the school has been one of the best-performing government schools in the district.
"However, to our utter dismay and shock, there are only seven teaching and non-teach-ing staff at the school at present after the retirement of three staff teachers and the transfer of five others with no replacement and as such, the school is facing huge administrative problems," he added.
Abraham Haokip asserted that as per the Right to Education Act of 2009, especially regarding the pupil-teacher ratio, there should be one teacher for every 30 students at the primary level and one teacher for every 35 students at the upper primary level.
In the light of this provision, a mere seven teaching and non-teaching staff for over six hundred students grossly unjustifiable, he added.
The students' body also appealed to the authority concerned to arrange replacement at the earliest for the retired and transferred staff of the school so as to ensure 19 teaching staff and 2 non-teaching staff to run the school smoothly.