Ministry plans to augment teachers’ strength in schools

The state education ministry aims to increase number of teachers in order to speed up the assessment process of various examinations. Vinod Tawde, state minister for school, higher and technical education, claimed teachers are the medium to bring about transformation in the education space. The ministry plans to discuss with teacher’s organisations various measures and provisions to reduce teacher workload.

The lack of teachers in the state prolongs the assessment process which delays declaration of results as per the ministry. In addition, teachers are also involved in non-teaching work which takes up their time. And due to this involvement in managing extra-curricular activities teachers have to juggle between lecture time and find it difficult to complete the assessment process.

Only a teacher is entitled to evaluate answer scripts whether online or offline.

Tawde said, “We aim to increase number of teachers to enhance the assessment process of various examinations conducted at different levels. Any form of change or transformation in the education space can be brought only through teachers.”

While, teachers claimed the government itself halts the appointments and burdens them with additional work. A senior teacher said, “The government often does not approve large number of appointments. We have often witnessed teachers waiting for a job for years despite possessing all the abilities. Secondly, teachers are loaded with other work which is directed from the education department.”

Teachers revealed assessment is never delayed because of lack of teachers but due to inefficiency of system. Madhu Paranjape, General Secretary of Bombay University and College Teachers’ Union (BUCTU), said, “The recent fiasco which students of Mumbai University (MU) faced due to delay in result declaration was not due to lack of number of teachers. The mess had nothing to do with teachers but it resulted due to technical and system failure.”