The primary education landscape in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district has come under significant scrutiny due to the alarming number of schools operating with just one teacher each. Currently, 314 primary schools in the district reportedly function with such staffing limitations, raising concerns about the quality of education offered to students. This scenario places undue pressure on the already stretched teaching staff and severely impacts the learning environment.

At Banogi Primary School, for instance, a single teacher manages the education of 21 students, ranging from pre-primary to Class 5. Anita Thakur, a teacher at the school since 2022, is responsible for imparting lessons across all subjects for each grade level. She expressed that this dual responsibility considerably hampers her ability to provide focused attention to each student.

Challenges Faced by Teachers

Thakur highlighted the complexities of managing multiple classes simultaneously, according to their distinct syllabi. “Even though the number of children is low, each class has to be taught separately,” she stated. This reality complicates the task, making it challenging to ensure that every child receives adequate attention. The situation is exacerbated by the departure of a supplementary teacher, previously arranged by the School Management Committee (SMC), who was compensated with Rs 200 per student monthly.

A Junior Basic Teacher (JBT) trainee has also been facilitating teaching practice at Banogi for the past three months; however, her training concludes on September 14. The school had operated on a provisional basis during the absence of a permanent teacher. Thakur’s role consequently encompasses a variety of responsibilities beyond regular classroom teaching, which she noted detracts from the educational experience for the students.

Efforts to Address the Staffing Shortage

The SMC president, Ram Nath, spoke about the committee’s efforts to secure additional teaching staff. They approached the Deputy Director of Education with a request for another teacher, only to be informed that no staff were available due to their commitments at other institutions. “We were told that teachers are currently not available. It is not possible to send someone here at present,” Nath remarked.

He elaborated on the challenges of having a single teacher managing classroom duties alongside essential responsibilities like overseeing the mid-day meal programme. “When one teacher has to look after teaching as well as other school work and the mid-day meal, it becomes difficult,” he explained. The recurring demands made to the government for appointing an additional teacher underscore the urgency of the situation, as the quality of education hangs in the balance.

Overall, the scenario at Banogi Primary School is emblematic of a broader issue affecting numerous schools within the Kullu district. With 314 primary institutions reportedly relying on just one teacher, the resultant educational landscape is characterised by an overburdened teaching staff and restricted opportunities for personalised instruction, inevitably impacting the learning outcomes for students.

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