This academic year has witnessed an increase in around 3,000 students in the state-run English medium schools. However, the education board of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has not been able to recruit teachers accordingly. In fact, mid-day found out that the 53 English medium schools are facing an acute shortage of 100 teachers.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2014/sep/04teachers.jpg" alt="" /> Waiting for approval: The education board of PMC has forwarded their request to recruit teachers for English-medium schools to the Mantralaya. File pic
According to the Right to Education (RTE) Act, the teacher-student ratio of a class should be 1:30. However, the PMC-run schools are currently running over packed, with teacher-student ratio 1:67. While the number of students between junior kindergarten and Std VII has increased by 3,000 students this year, the number of teachers has not increased in the last two years.
&ldquo;If we apply the RTE rule of 1:30 teacher-student ratio, then we need at least 100 more teachers in the new academic year. Even if we provide quality education in classes, the shortage of teachers is affecting it,&rdquo; said an official, on the condition of anonymity.
Despite the pitiable condition of schools, the corporation is still stuck at getting official permissions from the government. &ldquo;The file to recruit 100 teachers has been moved to the Mantralaya and we are awaiting the go ahead from the government to start recruiting teachers,&rdquo; informed Rajendra Jagtap, additional municipal commissioner of PMC, adding, &ldquo;Earlier, the corporation would charge a fee from students who were enrolled in English medium schools as the state did not provide salary grants to teaching staff. However, as the demand for English schools increased, corporators raised their voice and now, like Marathi medium schools, we&rsquo;ve stopped charging fees in English medium.
Therefore, the cost of their salaries will now be borne by the state.&rdquo;
&ldquo;The government had issued a GR on June 13, 2012, imposing a ban on recruitment of teachers. Therefore, in the last two years, there have been no new recruits. Last year we were facing shortage of nearly 45 teachers in English medium schools; this year it is more than 100,&rdquo; informed Shivaji Daundkar, education officer (primary) of PMC.

Till last year, the Pune Municipal Corporation was facing shortage of 45 teachers in English medium schools; this year the number is more than 100

3,000 new students, but PMC waits for approval to recruit 100 teachers

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3,000 new students, but PMC waits for approval to recruit 100 teachers

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