Govt schools without physical edu teachers

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 21

More than 4,000 posts of physical education teacher (PET) are lying vacant in government schools in the state and the government has not filled even one in the past one year.

The Unemployed PET Union, which procured information through the RTI last month, is agitated. Resentment is brewing among the unemployed teachers over the delay in filling the posts.

Union leaders claimed that Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur had made an announcement on October 7, 2018, to fill 2,000 posts of PET, which never happened.

The government had clearly stated that the posts in schools, having less than 100 students, would not be filled, but it could not recruit teachers even in those schools, where there were over 100 students.

“Over 2,000 posts are lying vacant in high and senior secondary schools, having over 100 students, and 481 schools with enrolment of more than 100 students are in Mandi, the home district of the Chief Minister,” said president and vice-president of the Physical Education Teachers Union Shashikant Thakur and Sunil Thakur.

“No test has been conducted for filling the posts since 2000 and the government is deliberately delaying the appointments,” said Secretary of the union Vijay.

“The government is filling posts of all other categories, but has adopted an indifferent attitude towards the recruitment of PETs. The posts are not being filled despite the availability of budget,” they alleged, demanding immediate filling of posts to improve the falling standards of education and sports.

“The announcement of the Chief Minister to fill the posts ahead of the Lok Sabha elections was only an assurance, which he failed to fulfil,” they said.

There are a large number of government schools — 212 in Kangra,124 in Sirmaur, 120 in Bilaspur, 93 in Kullu, 68 in Kinnaur, 52 in Solan and 44 in tribal areas, where the strength of students has exceeded 100, but the posts of PET are yet to be filled.

Sorry state of affairs 

• The government had clearly stated that the posts in schools, having less than 100 students, would not be filled, but it could not recruit teachers even in those schools, where there were over 100 students

• Over 2,000 posts are lying vacant in high and senior secondary schools, having over 100 students, and 481 schools with enrolment of more than 100 students are in Mandi, the home district of the CM

Govt schools 

• 12 in Kangra
• 124 in Sirmaur
• 120 in Bilaspur
• 93 in Kullu
• 68 in Kinnaur
• 52 in Solan
• 44 in tribal areas