The New Indian Express 12.10.2010
Budget mum on teachers
BANGALORE: Even though the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) budget has been approved, the corporation schools are not likely to get any immediate respite.The BBMP budget focuses on improving the quality of education in corporation schools. Also, the initiative suggests that extra coaching classes will be conducted before and after school hours, special training will be given to the teachers of schools and colleges, a Sahitya Bhavan will be instituted at a cost of `1.5 crore. Another `1.5 crore were earmarked to improve infrastructure.
When Express had done a series of articles on BBMP schools, it had found that many of these schools had outsourced teachers. Also, it had come to light that teachers were not available for languages, science and social studies. There were only two computer teachers for the 33 BBMP highschools. Infrastructure of half of the schools was in a sorry condition.
"It is surprising that there is no mention of an important initiative like recruiting more permanent teachers. We have got a hike in salary for the permanent teachers, but as for the outsourced teachers, their nominal fees remains the same," said a teacher of Corporation High School, K G Nagar.
The education officer was unavailable for comments as he said he was busy in a prayer meeting.
"All the plans for education will be completed at the earliest," P N Sadashiva, Finance and Taxation Committee Chairman, told Express. Adding that this would be a priority, he said directives had been issued to Zonal heads, asking them to present a programme of works to take up at the BBMP schools.
