Mita Mukherjee

Many state-aided schools in Bengal are suddenly facing a crisis of teachers in their higher secondary units (Class XI and XII) as most teaching staff of their secondary section (till Class X) are refusing to do extra work by teaching their higher secondary students.

The teachers are unwilling to teach Class XI and XII students following a recent directive issued by the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education to school heads saying that teachers who were originally appointed to teach in the secondary classes may be allowed to teach in Class XI and XII. But if they are asked to do so then they will have to give a declaration stating that they would not claim any higher scale salary from the government and not refuse to do higher secondary examination duties.

The number of teachers in the higher secondary units of most state-aided schools in Bengal do not have sufficient teachers. In most cases the schools have to depend on the teachers of the secondary units who on a regular basis are asked to teach Classes XI and XII to ensure that the prescribed syllabus of the course gets completed in time.

According to the headmasters of several schools, in the absence of adequate permanent teachers, this system had been practiced for nearly the past ten years and the secondary section teachers had never shown reluctance to do the extra work. They also never asked for higher scale salaries.

“But after the issuing of the recent directive the teachers have suddenly changed their minds. They are refusing to teach the Class XI and XII students,” the headmaster told EducationWorld.

In the online declaration, the teachers are required to state,  “I hereby declare …….. 1.That I am ready to take classes at XI and XII level for the interest of students 2. That I will act as an Examiner cum Scrutineer of HS Examination, if appointed by the Council. 3. That I will never claim a higher pay scale/ any other extra financial benefit…”

When asked why they were reluctant to teach Class XI and XII students, at least six teachers whom EducationWorld spoke, said the directive lacks clarity and it indirectly makes it mandatory for all secondary teachers taking Class XI and XII classes to do higher secondary board examination work.

“ I had been taking XI and XII classes for over three years. I was never paid any extra remuneration for doing the extra work. Then why should I unnecessarily give the declaration that I will never demand a higher scale. The council must make this clear.  The directive makes it clear that if I teach in the higher secondary section I will compulsorily have to do HS examination work. This is very strange,” said the teacher.

Another teacher said that the council is well aware that there is an acute shortage of teachers in every higher secondary school and also the crisis of efficient teachers for evaluating higher secondary examination answer scripts. At the same time the council knows that it is not possible for the state government to appoint such a huge number of teachers to fill the vacancies. “ So the council is taking the undertaking from the secondary teachers so that there is no scarcity of examiners of HS answer scripts.”

There are nearly 6000 higher secondary (XI and XII) schools in the state and in most of these schools there is only a single teacher in each subject to teach Classes XI and XII. A large number of schools now have no teacher at all to teach important subjects like physics, chemistry and mathematics in the higher secondary units.
It is mandatory for teachers to have a postgraduate degree to teach in the higher secondary section. A graduate with honours is eligible to teach in Classes IX and X and to teach in Classes below IX only an ordinary pass graduate degree is required.

Admitting the problem, higher secondary council president Chiranjib Bhattacharjee said several schools have informed the council about the problem. He said the council is looking into the matter.

“The system of giving the declaration is being practiced for a long time. Earlier, the school heads would take the declaration in offline mode. This time the teachers will have to give the declaration online and this has created a problem. We are trying to find a solution,” Bhattacharjee told EducationWorld.

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