Study hampered as 4 teachers working against 24 posts

Classes of 800 students at Bhubonjoy Government High School in Jurachari upazila of Rangamati are badly hampered as only four teachers including the acting headmaster are running the institution with sanctioned posts of 24.

The school established in 1970 got approval for enrolling Class IX students under humanities, science and business studies groups in 1986 and later it was nationalized with appointment of ‘fairly sufficient’ teachers.

But for years now, there is no regular headmaster and subject teachers for mathematics, higher mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology, and business studies.

Photo: Star

Several students said their classes are not held regularly while teachers said they often fail to teach properly as one teacher has to take seven or eight classes every day.

“I am worried about my son’s future as he is not getting lessons well,” said Dhana Ratan Chakma, 45, father of a student at the school.

An old tin-shed house of the school was declared abandoned years ago and the new building is not sufficient to accommodate all the classes.

Students from remote areas of the upazila have to suffer a lot while going to and from school as there is no hostel.

Shantimoy Chakma, headmaster (in charge) of the school, said, “Students, especially those belonging to science group, are badly suffering in absence of subject teachers. I have written to the higher authorities, requesting steps for filling up the vacant posts of teachers.”

Despite being the only government school in the upazila, the institution fails to provide quality education to students due to the acute shortage of teachers, said Suresh Kumar Chakma, chairman of Jurachari Upazila Parishad.

Uttam Khisa, district education officer of Rangamati, said he sent letters to the higher authorities for solving the problem.

Muhammad Mahfuzur Rahman, upazila nirbahi officer of Jurachari, said he also submitted a letter to the education ministry to address the matter.