22,595 teacher posts vacant In Kalyana Karnataka

Raichur: Government schools across Kalyana Karnataka region are grappling with a severe shortage of teachers, with 22,595 posts lying vacant in primary and high schools, triggering concerns over the quality of education in one of the state’s most backward regions.

Official data shows 18,317 vacancies in primary schools, and 4,278 in high schools, forcing many institutions to depend heavily on guest teachers. Raichur district is the worst affected, with 5,624 vacancies in govt schools. Of the 8,460 sanctioned posts in primary schools, only 3,900 teachers are currently in service, leaving 4,560 posts vacant. In high schools, 1,175 teachers are working against the 2,239 sanctioned positions, with 1,064 vacant positions.

The shortage has led to several single-teacher schools and even ‘zero teacher’ schools without a permanent govt teacher. In Devdurg taluk alone, 105 schools are functioning without a regular teacher.

Among other districts, Kalaburagi has 3,129 vacant primary teacher posts and 589 vacancies in high schools, while Yadgir has 3,029 primary school vacancies and 724 in high schools. Koppal has 2,617 vacancies in primary schools and 646 in high schools, while Ballari has 2,217 vacant primary teacher posts and 556 vacancies in high schools.

Educationist DM Badiger from Koppal pointed out that primary schools with 60 students were required to have at least two teachers, but many were functioning with minimal staff strength.

Apart from the shortage of teachers, many govt schools also have poor infrastructure, including inadequate drinking water, toilet facilities, electricity, lack of classrooms, libraries, playgrounds and compound walls. Officials said enrolment in govt schools had also declined due to inadequate staff.

Raichur DDPI Mallikarjun said infrastructure in govt schools had improved over the years, but teacher recruitment needed intervention. He said, that the issue was discussed in a meeting chaired by the DC, and expressed hope that appointments would be made through the KKRDB.