The education system in Garhwa district, Jharkhand, is grappling with a severe and widespread shortage of teachers, leaving hundreds of sanctioned posts unfilled and forcing schools to implement makeshift teaching arrangements. The crisis spans across primary, middle, high, and higher secondary schools, critically affecting the quality of education imparted to students.
Alarming Vacancy Rates Across School Levels
A detailed look at the staffing numbers reveals a deeply concerning picture. In the district's 122 high schools, only 554 Trained Graduate Teachers (TGT) are present against a sanctioned strength of 1,121. This means a staggering 567 posts, or over 50%, are currently vacant.
The situation in 38 +2 schools is slightly better but still problematic, with 202 Post Graduate Teachers (PGT) working against 253 sanctioned posts. The crisis is most acute in middle and primary schools, which have merely 1,356 teachers for 2,339 sanctioned positions, leaving nearly a thousand classrooms without regular instructors.
Subject-Wise Deficiencies and Improvised Classes
The shortage is particularly severe in specific subjects, creating significant gaps in the curriculum. The district faces a critical lack of language and science teachers:
- Hindi: 70 teachers against 109 posts.
- English: 44 teachers against 108 posts.
- Maths/Physics: 54 teachers against 114 posts.
- Sanskrit: 39 teachers against 107 posts.
- Urdu: 26 teachers against 64 posts.
- Kudukh & Nagpuri: 5 and 2 teachers against 13 and 4 posts respectively.
This has led to extraordinary situations where teachers are handling subjects outside their expertise. Shilpi Kumari, principal of the Government Girls +2 School (CM School of Excellence) in Garhwa, stated that while they have 19 subject-specific teachers, a vocational teacher is currently taking history classes until a dedicated history teacher is appointed.
Om Shri Krishnam, headmaster of the upgraded high school in Obra, highlighted a similar plight. "The school lacks teachers of science, home science, and Urdu. A teacher from the middle section takes science classes while the Physical Education teacher teaches Urdu," he explained.
Sports Promotion Suffers Without Infrastructure and Trainers
The government's push for promoting sports faces a major hurdle in Garhwa due to an extreme shortage of physical education instructors. Across 411 middle schools and 122 high schools, only 31 physical education teachers are appointed against 80 sanctioned posts.
Shailendra Pathak, Garhwa unit president of the Jharkhand Olympic Association, questioned the state's sports promotion agenda. "At a time when the state govt is talking of promoting sports, how can it be possible in the absence of physical teachers and playgrounds?" he asked, pointing to the dual crisis of manpower and infrastructure.
Impact on Students and Administrative Response
The direct impact of this crisis is borne by the students. A concerned parent, Mubarak Ansari, shared that his daughter's education at Rama Sahu (CM School of Excellence) is suffering due to the lack of a science teacher.
When contacted, District Education Officer Qaisar Raza acknowledged the problem and stated that the appointment process is ongoing. "The process of teacher appointment is underway. We are trying to fill the vacant posts by borrowing teachers from other schools," Raza said, indicating a temporary stop-gap measure while permanent appointments are finalized.
The widespread vacancies across all levels and key subjects present a significant challenge to the district's educational outcomes, calling for urgent and sustained intervention from the state administration.
