New Delhi: Union HRD Ministry today expressed
concern over shortage of teachers in Delhi Government-run
schools and asked the authorities to fill up the vacant posts
at the earliest.
The issue figured during a meeting HRD Minister Kapil
Sibal had with Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and
Education Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely.
Nearly 6,000 posts of teachers, including that of nearly
250 principals, are currently lying vacant in government-run
schools in the national capital.
"The Union HRD Ministry expressed its concern over
shortage of teachers in Delhi," said an official who attended
the meeting.
Delhi government officials told the meeting that more
than 3,600 vacancies have already been notified and the
process for recruitment has begun. They said civic agency MCD
has also initiated the process of recruiting 4,500 teachers.
Officials said it was also decided in the meeting to
bring down the student-teacher ratio in city schools from
current 1:50 to 1:30. Top officials of the Delhi government
and the Ministry were also present in the meeting.
In the meeting, Sibal expressed his keenness to support
the city government in expansion of technical and vocational
education in Delhi.
Delhi government officials said the Union Ministry also
appreciated efforts of the city government in making
elementary education more purposeful.
"The Ministry also stressed upon the need of bringing
special children into the mainstream schooling," they said.
The Ministry also appreciated computerisation of the
education department which has facilitated on-line checking of
teachers attendance in schools.
In the meeting, Education Minister Lovely said over 30
Pratibha Vikas Vidyalayas were facing closure following coming
into force of Right to Education Act as the legislation has a
provision for compulsory admission of students in any school.
Admission into the Government-run Pratibha Vikash
Vidyalas is purely based on merit as they were established to
match the renowned private schools.
Officials said the Ministry indicated that comments of
Law Department and National Commission on Education will be
obtained to ensure continuation of these schools which have
been imparting quality education.
The efforts of the city government in implementing the
Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan scheme was also complimented by the Union
Ministry, officials said. Dikshit informed Sibal about her
government's initiatives to ensure proper implementation of
the Right to Education Act.
The HRD Minister indicated that his Ministry will be
willing to sanction additional financial assistance for
educational schemes in Delhi and assured to give Rs 9 crore to
strengthen the State Council Educational Research and Training
(SCERT) and District Institute of Education and Training
(DIET).
Sibal said his Ministry will announce introduction of new
courses such as mass communication, hotel and catering and
other job-oriented courses for students at 10+2 level, which
could be introduced in Delhi schools.
While referring to problems in getting admissions in
colleges in Delhi, he said the city government was free to set
up its own Open University to offer vocational and other
courses to those students who failed to get admission in
regular colleges.
Dikshit, in the meeting, apprised Sibal of difficulties
faced by students securing less than 40 per cent marks in 10+2
exams, saying even School of Correspondence in Delhi
University do not offer these students admission in any of the
courses citing minimum criteria of 40 per cent marks for
admission.
To this, he said IGNOU will be approached to launch a
large vocational education training programme for Delhi. Sibal
also stressed upon the need for a separate norms for allotment
of land for educational institutions in Delhi and other metro
cities.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, July 07, 2010, 19:18