Schooling hampered in Tangail

Academic activities at government primary, registered primary schools in the district are being seriously hampered due to shortage of teachers.

According to the district primary education office, a total of 219 government primary schools and 208 registered primary schools in 12 upazilas of the district are running without any regular headmaster.

Besides, about 470 posts of assistant teachers, including those in 344 government primary schools, are also lying vacant, much to the sufferings of the school kids and fellow teachers.

As many as 153 posts of headmasters and assistant teachers are lying vacant in Nagarpur upazila, 94 in Gopalpur, 93 each in Mirzapur and Sakhipur, 86 in Ghatail, 79 in Kalihati, 70 in Bhuapur, 52 each in Sadar and Madhupur, 45 in Basail, 43 in Delduar and 27 in Dhanbari upazila.

A number of teachers and students said shortage of teachers is not only hampering children's education, also other regular activities of the institutions.

In absence of regular headmasters, other teachers performing their duties cannot properly carry out administrative work of the institution due to lack of experience and training.

Abdus Samad, headmaster of Narandia Government Primary School, also president of Kalihati Government Primary School Teachers' Association, said acute crisis of primary school teachers is depriving the school kids of proper learning.

District Primary Education Officer (DPO) Ataur Rahman said retirement of many teachers in recent time and complications in both recruitment and promotion are the reasons behind prevailing teacher crisis.

Steps are being taken to fill up the vacant posts of the teachers soon, the DPO added.