As government schools in Kalyana Karnataka are grappling with staff shortages, the Department of Public Instruction has been forced to rely on guest teachers, even this academic year 2022-23.
As per data available with the Additional Commissioner for Public Instruction, Kalaburagi Division office, the department has appointed 10,071 guest teachers against the total vacancies of 16,022 in the seven districts of Kalyana Karnataka.
In the primary section, 31,943 (31%) teachers were working against the total sanctioned 45,985, with 14,042 posts lying vacant. The department has appointed 8,514 guest teachers for primary schools.
In high schools, there are 9,551 teachers against the 11,531 sanctioned posts and 1,980 vacant posts. As many as 1,557 guest teachers were appointed.
Data shows the skewed distribution of teachers. Schools in taluks have more vacancies as compared to those in the district headquarters.
For example, there were 135 and 138 vacant posts in primary schools in Kalaburagi South and Kalaburagi North, respectively. As many as 593 posts were vacant in Jewargi taluk and 495 in Chincholi taluk.
In Bidar city, the vacant posts in primary schools were 83 and 13 in high schools. At the same time, 365 posts were vacant in Basavakalyan taluk and 335 in Aurad taluk.
The highest vacancies in primary schools were in Yadgir district with 42%, followed by 33% in Raichur. Kalaburagi, Ballari, and Koppal have 29% vacancies and Bidar has 20%.
In high schools, Raichur district has the highest vacancies with 22% followed by Yadgir with 20%. Ballari and Koppal each have 17% vacancies, Bidar district has 16%, and Kalaburagi district has just 9% vacancies.
Primary schools in Lingasugur taluk in Yadgir, Sandur taluk in Ballari, and Shorapur taluk in Yadgir district have up to 44% vacancies.
The district-wise appointment of guest teachers are as follows: Ballari (2,209), Raichur (2,132), Kalaburagi (1,973), Yadgir (1,773), Koppal (1,228), and Bidar district (756).
