Recalcitrant teachers impeding education sector: Secy
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 14 2025: Days after education (schools) director Ng Bhogendra conceded that the state is facing 49 per cent shortage of the total sanctioned post of teachers, education (S) secretary Naorem Praveen on Thursday said that government educational institutions in the state do not face an actual shortage of teachers, but rather a problem caused by teachers preferring postings nearest to homes.

This has led to an uneven distribution of staff, with some institutions in remote or backward areas experiencing shortages.

Mention may be made that director Ng Bhogendra, who is also the state project director of Samagra Shiksha, while attending a state-level workshop on "Schooling: Building Blocks", a subtheme of the 5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries 2025-26, held at City Convention Centre, on August 3, stated that out of 17,000 sanctioned posts, only 51 per cent are currently filled, leaving a shortage of 49 per cent.

Recalcitrant teachers impeding education sector: Secy

Naorem Praveen was attending as chief guest at a felicitation ceremony organised by Manipur Government Higher Secondary Lecturers' Welfare Association (MGHSLWA) at CC Higher Secondary School on Thursday.

The event honoured students from government schools who secured positions in this year's Higher Secondary Examination (HSE) conducted by the Council of Higher Secondary Education Manipur (COHSEM), as well as overall school toppers.

Praveen said that the state currently has 1,007 government teachers for 1.45 lakh students, giving a teacher-student ratio of one teacher for every 14 students.

"It is wrong to say there is a shortage of teachers in this situation," he said, adding that teachers refusing transfers to challenging locations show they have not truly committed to the profession's goal of educating students wherever needed.

He urged teachers to honour the transfer orders, stressing that such mobility is essential to improving the standard of education across the state.

Teachers should not create any hindrance when they are transferred from time to time if they want to produce good students from government institutions, said the secretary.

Praveen also appealed to the public and other stakeholders to support efforts to reform and strengthen the education sector.

Calling the felicitation of meritorious students a "good step" toward building a better society, he expressed hope that MGHSLWA would continue playing a key role in supporting the welfare of the student community.

He said that youth aged 18 to 25 have an important role to play in the country's progress, but the number actively contributing remains low.

One cannot expect the government to do everything.

The public must take on the responsibilities in whatever way they are capable of, emphasised the secretary.

On the occasion, 10 students from government educational institutions who secured positions in this year's HSE were presented with golden awards, while 27 school toppers received school topper awards.

TG Higher Secondary School principal, whose school produced 10 position holders, was also honoured.

The event was presided over by MGHSLWA president L Ishwarjit Sharma and attended by education (s) director Ng Bhogendra Meitei, COHSEM controller of examinations Oinam Joy Singh, and CC Higher Secondary School principal Kh Memtombi, as guests of honour.

It may be mentioned that 36,943 students appeared in the HSLCE 2025 and 28,909 in the HSE 2025 .