Imphal, February 03: The cat is out of the bag.

There is no question of shortage of Government teachers from the primary level to the High School level.

On the other hand the things lacking include trained teachers and needed infrastructure.

The problem of shortage of teachers in many Government schools have cropped up because of the poor man power management by the Government.

Talking to The Sangai Express a well placed source said that there may be some vacant posts of teachers in Government institutions, but if one takes the teacher-student ratio into consideration, then there is no shortage of teachers at all.

However there may be some shortage subject wise, added the source.

Overall the teacher-student ratio can roughly be pegged at 1:15, said the source adding that if all the teachers are properly trained and utilised properly, the problem of teachers shortage will be a thing of the past.

The one thing that is acutely lacking is proper infrastructure in almost all the Government schools, said the source and added that most Govt schools lack proper walls, fencings, play grounds, etc.

The ban on appointment of teachers may be lifted, but the question is how many trained teachers will be appointed, said the source adding that there should be zero tolerance to any political interferences in education.

Reports received by The Sangai Express say that out of the 692 primary school teachers in Bishnupur district, 498 are untrained, in Churachandpur out of 727 teachers 592 are not trained, in Imphal out of 1515 such teachers 792 are untrained teachers while in Imphal West out of the 2343 teachers, 1100 are not trained.

In Senapati too, out of the 1076 primary school teachers, 817 teachers are not trained, in Tamenglong out of 717 teachers, 551 are not trained, in Thoubal out of 1409 teachers 768 are not trained while in Ukhrul out of 661 teachers 380 are not trained.

The same is the case with teachers in the Upper Primary with 5587 out of 7824 not having undergone any formal training.

Despite the overall favourable 1:15 teacher-students ratio, in some Govt schools, one teacher is has to teach a class of more than 40 students while in some cases, the number of teachers exceed the number of students, said the source and mooted that the recent Cabinet decision to rationalise the transfer and posting of teachers should be implemented in good time.

Meanwhile the All Manipur Govt Higher Secondary Lecturer's Welfare Association has expressed deep reservation against the decision of the Cabinet to rationalise the transfer and posting of teachers without working out a transfer policy.

In a statement, the teachers body said that a transfer policy should be adopted or else the rationalisation of transfer and posting of teachers will only victimise the teachers.

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