Fewer children, over 500 teachers dismissed from aided schools despite 3000 vacancies

Thiruvananthapuram: More than 500 teachers have been dismissed from aided schools across the state after losing their posts due to decline in student enrollment numbers.

While there is a system in place to safeguard and redeploy teachers who lose posts in government schools, aided school teachers appointed from 2015 onwards are not covered under this protection.

Figures released by the General Education Department show that 511 aided school teachers have been dismissed following the reduction of posts. Though the CPM-backed Kerala School Teachers Association (KSTA) and other organisations have approached the government seeking protection for the affected teachers, the authorities have so far shown no willingness to review the decision.

This is despite the existence of over 3,000 vacancies across various sectors where teachers could be redeployed. The government has not taken steps to utilise these available positions.

Options available for protection

• During the appointment of headmasters or headmistresses, one teacher can be accommodated in the resulting teaching vacancy. There are around 1,000 such posts available.
• There are 1,385 cluster coordinator posts under Samagra Shiksha Kerala that can be filled by teachers who have lost their posts.
• If extra teaching posts are sanctioned in aided schools, these positions are to be allotted to protected teachers. Around 600 vacancies are available under this category.
• More than 100 vacancies exist in schools that were newly established or upgraded after 1979.
• Over 200 positions are available for teachers to serve as master trainers under Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE).