Yogi announces recruitment of 20k teachers to boost edu quality

Lucknow: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday announced fresh recruitment of 20,000 teachers, including instructors, to strengthen basic education in the state.

The govt recently hiked the honorarium of 24,717 part-time instructors working in state-run schools to Rs 17,000 from Rs 9,000.

Addressing a felicitation ceremony organised to felicitate part-time instructors (anudeshaks), Yogi said, “The requisition for 20,000 new teachers has already been sent to the UP Education Service Selection Commission. The appointment of new instructors in upper primary schools will lead to efficient pupil-teacher ratio.”

Currently, 24,296 instructors — 8,469 in art education, 9,645 in health and physical education, and 6,192 in vocational education — are employed in state-run schools across UP.

The CM recalled that the process of appointment of part-time instructors began in 2011-12 with the objective of providing education to children under the Right to Education Act (RTE). Instructors then were paid a monthly honorarium of Rs 7,000.

Saying that all teachers deserve a dignified life with social and health security, the CM said, “Anyone continuously contributing towards strengthening the foundation of education in India must be guaranteed social security.”

“In 2019, the govt granted women instructors six months of maternity leave with full honorarium. In 2023, a voluntary school transfer facility was also introduced, under which more than 4,000 instructors got the opportunity to choose schools of their preference,” he said.

In 2022, the honorarium was increased by Rs 2,000, but that was also not sufficient to run the family, said the CM, adding that the govt, after due consideration of their long-pending demands, hiked the honorarium to a decent amount of Rs 17,000 last month.

“Para-instructors will also be covered under cashless health insurance coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh,” he said.

The CM said the dropout rate, which earlier stood at almost 18%, declined to nearly 3%. “Every child has some innate talent. Some excel in sports, others in art or science. It is the responsibility of teachers and instructors to identify children’s hidden talents and provide opportunities for their growth,” Yogi said.

Yogi pointed out that basic schools were in a dilapidated condition when his govt came to office in 2017. “There were proposals to discontinue the services of instructors in schools with fewer than 100 students, but it was rejected. Instead, we launched ‘School Chalo Abhiyan’ and ‘Operation Kayakalp’ to transform govt schools. Subsequently, 96% schools are equipped with facilities,” Yogi said.

Emphasising self-discipline, punctuality and cleanliness, Yogi asked teachers and media not to highlight children involved in voluntary labour activities.

“Children should not be made overly delicate; instead, they should be made strong, disciplined and self-reliant. Teachers promoting discipline and cleanliness among children should be honoured rather than punished,” Yogi said.

Reiterating govt’s commitment to providing quality education, Yogi said his govt came up with the concept of Atal Residential Schools for children of labourers and those who lost parents in the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) have been upgraded from Class VIII to Class XII in the first phase. Funds have now been allocated to establish one KGBV in all 825 development blocks. As of now, 746 blocks have KGBVs,” he said.

Referring to global conditions, the CM said, “Just as tensions between Iran and the United States affect the entire world, similarly, if even one child remains deprived of education, the consequences are borne by the entire society and nation.”