Classroom without teachers

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Classroom without teachers

Written by Hiral Vyas

Tuesday, 29 September 2009 04:16

AHMEDABAD: Teachers' crunch is set to get worse in schools across the state as more students are refusing to take up teaching as a career option. Many are opting out of teaching courses, thanks to meager pay in schools and poor incentives. The number of students enrolling into primary teachers certificate (PTC) course is dwindling by the day, as salaries in schools are low even though the job is time-consuming.

Darshana Bagadia, after a stint as a teacher at a private primary school, preferred to become a student again. "I used to get Rs 1,500 as monthly remuneration for a six-hour job. I have now decided to upgrade by academic qualifications and then try again," said Bagadia.

However, Bagadia's financial condition might not change drastically. In most government and private schools, even high-school teachers are given a sum of Rs 4,000 as salary. Impact of this is reflecting in BEd and PTC institutes across the state. The 467 PTC colleges of Gujarat have 35,000 seats of which 10,000 have failed to attract students. In the 380 BEd colleges, of the 38,000 seats, 16,000 are empty.

Bharat Pandit, deputy director of state primary education, said, "For the first time in many years, PTC colleges are lying empty. Even last year, all PTC colleges were full to capacity. This year, even management quota seats are vacant. Now, government primary schools do not offer more than 3,500 jobs per year. Thus, not many are opting for teaching career."

Dean of education faculty in Gujarat University RS Patel said, "In more than 30 BEd colleges of Gujarat University, 35 per cent of seats are empty. While in the rest, more than 40 per cent are empty."

Courtesy : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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