Owing to the expansion of municipal limits, the number of government-run primary and upper primary schools in the city has increased to 240, officials have said.
Earlier, there were a total of 87 such government-run schools, including 53 primary schools (classes 1 to 5), four upper primary schools (classes 6 to 8) and another 30 composite schools (classes 1 to 8) in the city limits. Now, this number had increased more than two-and-a -half times, they added.
“Following the extension of the municipal limits, 153 more schools have now come under the city. However, their management has still not been shifted. They are continuing to be managed by the block education officers concerned instead of the nagar shiksha adhikari as that process is still to be completed,” basic shiksha adhikari (BSA)-Prayagraj Sanjay Kumar Kushwaha said.
These additional 153 schools that have now come under the municipal limits include 26 of Kaudihar development block, 24 of Soraon development block, 51 of Bahadurpur development block and 52 of Chaka development block.
Following the change in their status, officials expect development of these schools, especially in terms of approach roads, sewer facility and water supply to improve in the coming days. As a result, these schools are likely to attract more students. Kushwaha said since these schools were now considered to be within the city limits, the teachers selected under the 69,000 assistant teachers’ recruitment drive were not being posted in these schools in light of the existing policy of sending new teachers to schools located in the rural areas.
As a result, the names of these 153 schools were removed from the portal through which the postings of newly recruited teachers were taking place, he explained.
Even the city-based government primary and upper primary schools suffer from acute shortage of teachers in terms of students enrolled in them. Despite implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act-2011 in July 2011 in UP, even 11 years later the shortage of teachers continues in primary schools. As per RTE norms, one teacher per every 30 students is needed in primary schools.
Education department records show that for 6,759 children enrolled in class 1 to class 5 in city limits, there are 149 teachers or one teacher per every 40 students. At the upper primary level, where RTE norms require one teacher per every 40 students, the situation is better. At present for 1,512 students of class 6 to class 8 in city limits, there are 58 teachers (one teacher per 28 students).
