Staff crunch hits quality teaching at model schools

Srikakulam: Severe staff crunch, lack of qualified teaching staff and hostel facilities have been affecting quality education and future of students at ‘model schools’ since its inception.

With an aim to provide corporate education in English medium to rural poor students, the Congress government had started 14 model schools in Srikakulam district along with other districts, two years ago. But after inauguration the previous government forgot its development, as a result education system has been affected in these schools.

According to the government ideology, from Class I to Intermediate, teaching should be in English medium, with expert faculty and absolute facilities at model schools. Attracted to it most of the parents admitted their wards in these schools.

In total 280 teachers are required to work in all 14 schools, but only 112 are working, even among them most of the teachers are unable to teach in English due to lack of orientation to them. In total 4,500 students are studying in these schools from Class I to Intermediate. Hostel facility is not available in all these schools and particularly the girl students are facing problems to attend classes regularly.

At Bhamini and O.V. Peta model schools students protested against lack of facilities, scarcity of teachers and poor teaching. “We are making arrangements to cover syllabus in all classes and all subjects, though sufficient teachers are not available,” said OV Peta school principal, S. Danial.

“Works are being executed for construction of hostel buildings in eight schools and funds being released for the remaining six schools soon. The teaching staff will also be allotted in these schools,” said district educational officer (DEO), S. Arunakumari.