Aimed at improving the quality of school education, the state government’s lack of preparedness in introducing the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) curriculum in 117 government schools has left these institutions grappling with severe staff shortage, forcing many meritorious students to migrate to other schools.
The situation is particularly critical in winter-closing schools, where the academic session begins in February and nearly half of the session has already elapsed. The government is yet to finalise a policy for providing adequate staff and other essential facilities to these schools.
Several high-enrolment schools located in key towns such as Solan, Kandaghat and Dharampur in Solan district have been brought under the CBSE framework. These schools were previously affiliated with the Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education (HPBoSE). To facilitate the transition, the government created a separate CBSE sub-cadre under which teachers seeking deputation to these schools are required to clear a screening test.
Anticipating transfers, a large number of teachers posted in these newly affiliated CBSE schools began moving out as early as December last year, leaving behind substantial vacancies.
These vacancies remain largely unfilled. Information gathered from various schools in Solan district revealed that seven posts are vacant at Government Senior Secondary School (GSSS), Kandaghat. The vacancies include lecturers in biology, chemistry and economics, besides a Trained Graduate Teacher (Arts), a language teacher and a drawing master. Another teacher is currently away on medical leave.
The situation is no better at GSSS (Boys), Solan, where five teaching positions are vacant in political science, economics, Hindi, commerce and the non-medical stream. Academic activities have also suffered at GSSS Shoghi in Shimla district, where four teachers handling political science, sociology, commerce and arts opted for transfers to non-CBSE schools in the vicinity.
With the crucial months of April, May and half of June already gone, studies have been adversely affected in these institutions. Owing to the shortage of teachers, many meritorious students have begun shifting to neighbouring schools. More than 20 students have reportedly migrated from GSSS Kandaghat to other schools in Solan district, according to a teacher.
Recognising the urgency of the situation, the government constituted a Cabinet sub-committee on June 6 to formulate a policy framework. Headed by Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, the committee has been tasked with working out modalities for recruitment, selection criteria and teacher postings in these schools. Its first meeting is scheduled for June 18.
“Instead of addressing these issues before the transition, the hurried shift to CBSE has left students without teachers in key subjects such as political science, commerce, Hindi and economics for nearly half the academic session,” rued Ramesh, a parent.
Director of Elementary Education Ashish Kohli acknowledged the challenges involved in the transition. “Vacant posts in key subjects such as mathematics and English are in the process of being filled. These schools will soon be adequately equipped with both staff and facilities,” he said.
Kohli added that the initiative to improve the quality of education in government schools would yield long-term benefits by enabling students to compete at the national level. He, however, admitted that the teething problems associated with the transition were being addressed on priority.
Beyond staffing, questions remain over whether these schools will be able to meet other stringent CBSE requirements, including the appointment of special educators, counsellors and psychologists, the establishment of requisite laboratories and the maintenance of prescribed teacher-student ratios.
Other key obligations, such as ensuring 50 hours of annual teacher training under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 for continuous professional development, will also require careful planning. Equally important will be the formulation of a policy to retain teachers in these schools for a reasonable duration to ensure continuity and stability.
