Running on hired teachers
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, April 19 2013 : Despite repeated assurances given by Education Minister Moirangthem Okendro Singh for bringing about a change in the education sector of the State, the condition of Kumbi Government High School in Bishnupur district which is being run by hired untrained teachers, however, tells of a different story.

The wretched condition of the school came to light during yet another Hueiyen-Reach-Out trip, this time focusing on the 'realities' of the state of affairs in government educational institutes.

Surprisingly, the school has enough students but untrained hired teachers from local area were found engaging in taking classes.

Out of the mandatory 21 teachers, there are only 12 teachers including the headmaster in the school which has a total strength of 544 students.

Among the existing teachers, 2 (two) arts graduate teachers and 1 (one) science graduate teachers are those who have been appointed under RMSA and posted to the school recently.

Since the school has no assistant Headmaster, the staffs are having a hard time in running the administration.

One of the hired teachers in Kumbi Government High School taking class

In consideration of the problems being faced in the functioning of the school due to shortage of teachers, the school authority has hired 8 (eight) local teachers who are untrained.

The hired teachers are namely M Rameshwor Singh, A Achou, W Amarjit, M Chandrababu, M (O) Sorjini Devi, A Basanti Devi, Kh Sonia and K Geetarani.

When asked about the salary of the hired teachers, Kh Yaima Singh, Headmaster of Kumbi High School explained that the school has raised fund to pay an amount of Rs 2800 to each of the hired teachers.

When pressed on the mode of raising the fund for payment of salary to the hired teachers, the Headmaster disclosed that some amount had been invested from the school fund and the regular teachers in the school contributed 2% of the monthly salary for the purpose.

The Headmaster informed that apart from various written memorandums submitted to Education Department, he himself had personally met higher level officials of the Department so as to ensure posting of the required teachers in the school.

But all the efforts are in vain with the Department giving no satisfactory response.

While inspecting the school campus, members of Hueiyen-Reach-Out Team saw spacious area of field but all the students were playing in school verandah as playground was unfit for them to play.

Contrary to the guidelines of Right to Education Act, the co-educational school having from classes from nursery to class X has no separate ground or rooms for kids to play around.

There is also no separate toilets for boys and girls and drinking water facilities inside the campus is something unheard of among the students.

Moreover, it was learnt that Mid-Day Meal is provided to the students not regularly.

According to the records obtained from the school, free textbooks that are supposed to be provided to all the students' upto elementary stage under SSA have not been given for all the subjects.

Even though the current academic session has already started in full swing, students of class I and II have not received Hindi and Mathematics textbooks respectively.

Hindi and English textbook for class III; Mathematics, environmental science and Hindi textbooks for class IV; English, Manipuri Tengbang and Hindi Pustika textbooks for class V; Physical education, Manipuri Tengbang and Hindi Pustika textbooks for class VI; Mathematics, Manipuri Tengbang and Social Science textbooks for class VII and Mathematics, Hindi and social science textbooks for class VIII, etc too have not been received till day.

It is said that the textbooks provided under SSA were also not sufficient for the students of the school.

The school has 29 computers and a generator that have been issued under 11th Finance Commission.

However, due to shortage of power supply, teachers of the school are contributing money from their own private pocket to buy petrol for operating the generator for conducting computer classes.

Taking advantage of the inspection of Hueiyen-Teach-Out team, headmaster Kh Yaima drew the attention of Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh and Education Minister Moirangthem Okendro for sending adequate teachers for smooth administration of the school, and also appealed to the concerned officers for providing adequate textbooks as well as for ensuring provisions of mid-day meal to the students.