Hyderabad: 1,120 govt teachers opt for urban deputation

Rangareddy: The Shadnagar constituency is grappling with a severe shortage of teachers in its rural schools, leading to closures and a significant impact on students’ education. The exodus of government teachers from villages to urban areas on deputation has left the education system in disarray.

According to information, most of the 1,120 government teachers in the area, responsible for 284 schools, regularly commute from Hyderabad. However, a growing number are opting for deputation to suburban schools, reducing their travel distance but exacerbating the shortage of teachers in rural areas.

The impact is particularly felt in Farooqnagar, Keshampet, Kondurgu, Chaudharyguda, Nandigama, and Kothur, where 469, 195, 93, 94, 135, and 134 teachers respectively have shifted focus to urban schools. This has resulted in a severe lack of subject teachers in rural schools, with parents resorting to enrolling their children elsewhere due to incomplete syllabuses and the non-attendance of teachers.

Approximately 50 teachers have been deputed, strategically selecting schools in the city’s outskirts. Although they fulfill duties in urban schools, their wages are tied to the rural schools they were originally appointed to, causing unrest among parents and students.

Shankarrathode, Mandal Education Officer of Farooq Nagar, justified the teacher movement, stating it was per superiors’ orders due to low student numbers in rural schools. However, this explanation offers little solace to the students left without proper education in shuttered schools. One concerned parent, Sivakumar, shared the plight of Thanda school, stating, “No teacher is coming to our school. The education authorities appointed another teacher. But because that teacher did not attend school regularly, our children did not attend school. In this order, our Thanda school was closed.”

Meanwhile, there is a growing demand for intervention from the education department to ensure that teachers fulfill their responsibilities in government schools.