Academics in Tamil Nadu want teacher vacancies in schools run by the Adi Dravidian and Tribal Welfare Department after the poor performance of Class 10 and 12 students in the recent board exams.
There are about 1,466 schools in the state that are run by the Adi Dravidian and Tribal Welfare Department, and there has been a demand to bring these schools under the State School Education Department after the poor performance of the students.
The people of the Adi Dravidian community belong to the scheduled caste category. There are 95,103 students in Adi Dravida Kalyan Vidyalayas and 28,263 in Adivasi Kalyan Residential Schools.
In class 10 board exams, Adi Dravida Kalyan Schools recorded a pass percentage of 78.11 percent, while Adivasi Kalyan Schools registered 78.37 percent, while the pass percentage of government schools was 85.25.
Similarly, Adi Dravida Kalyan Schools had a pass percentage of 82.21 percent in Class 12 board exams, while Adivasi Kalyan Schools scored 86 percent. Government schools performed 89 per cent better in class 12 board examinations.
Social activists and voluntary organizations working for tribal and Adi Dravidian students said that there is acute shortage of teachers in many schools and in some schools the posting of headmaster or headmistress is not done after the teacher retires.
Saraswati Hema, an educationist and activist working for tribal children, told IANS, “The decrease in the pass percentage of Adi Dravidian welfare schools and tribal welfare schools in the recent board examinations is mainly due to acute shortage of teachers and in some instances, The post of headmaster or headmistress also remains vacant in such schools.
He said that either these posts should be filled on war footing or Adi Dravid and Tribal Welfare Schools should be brought under the school education department of the state. Saraswati said that scientific system of transfer and posting should be implemented in these schools also.
Sources in the Adi Dravida and Tribal Welfare Department told IANS that in Salem district alone, 19 tribal residential schools have two headmasters, 28 B.Ed teachers, four secondary school teachers and two postgraduate teachers.
While activists and educationists are working vigorously to bring these schools under the state’s school education department, there are challenges ahead as many teachers are apprehensive about working in SC/ST schools. In some cases, these teachers refuse to work in SC/ST schools.
At present, the posts of primary school teachers in Adi Dravidian and Adivasi Kalyan Vidyalayas are entirely reserved for teachers from SC/ST communities.
It is learned that Chief Minister MK Stalin will convene a meeting of Adi Dravid and Tribal Welfare Department officials, State School Education Department officials, teachers and workers to resolve the issue and improve the education of SC/ST students.
read all breaking news , today’s fresh news watch top videos And live TV Here.