308 teachers posted in 270 Karnataka schools with zero enrolment: UDISE+ report
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has appointed 308 teachers to 270 schools that currently have no students enrolled, according to the Union government’s Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) report for 2024-25.
The Deccan Herald reported that the data shows that while several schools with higher enrolments face shortages of teaching staff, teachers continue to be retained in schools without a single student. However, the number of such cases has significantly reduced compared to last year. In 2023-24, 1,572 teachers were deployed in 1,078 schools with zero enrolment. This year, the figure has come down to 308 teachers in 270 schools.
Officials from the School Education and Literacy Department defended the move, stating that maintaining staff in such schools is part of the government’s policy of not shutting down institutions. “The idea is to encourage admissions. If teachers are present, parents may be more willing to send their children,” a department official said. Some schools with just one student also have teachers posted.
Educationists point out that in several regions, especially those with geographical barriers, the presence of a teacher is essential even when enrolment is negligible. “Since posts cannot be abolished, it is possible that teachers are shown against such schools in the survey but deputed elsewhere,” explained development educationist V. P. Niranjanaradhya.
The UDISE+ 2024-25 report also highlights the scale of single-teacher schools in Karnataka. There are 7,349 such schools catering to 2.23 lakh students. Last year, the figure was higher, with 7,821 single-teacher schools accommodating 2.74 lakh students.
While the enrolment distribution ratio shows that 8.1 per cent of schools in the state have fewer than 10 students, 11.7 per cent have between 11 and 20, while only 6 per cent have more than 500 students, Karnataka has 74,859 schools with a combined enrolment of 1.17 crore students.
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Couple, son 'hacked' to death over witchcraft suspicion in Jharkhand's Palamu
Medininagar (PTI): A couple and their 18-year-old son were allegedly hacked to death over suspicion of practising witchcraft in Jharkhand's Palamu, police said on Sunday.
Their minor daughter was also injured in the attack late on Saturday, a police officer said.
The bodies were recovered from their house on Sunday in Panki police station area, he said.
“Initial investigation suggests that the case is related to witchcraft suspicion,” Manoj Kumar Jha, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Lesliganj told PTI.
A manhunt is on to nab the culprits, Jha said.
The girl suffered severe injuries and has been admitted to a government hospital, he said.
The deceased have been identified as Vijay Bhuiyan (45), his wife Kalia Devi (40), and their son Chotu Bhuiyan.
The bodies have been sent to Medinirai Medical College and Hospital (MMCH) for post-mortem examination.
