Teacher shortage Strains secondary education in Kailali

Kailali: Teaching activities in Kailali are facing challenges as the number of teacher vacancies is not proportional to the number of students and schools, particularly at the secondary level. A significant shortage of approved teacher posts has created pressure on schools across the district.

There are 174 community schools in Kailali providing education up to the secondary level, while a total of 312 schools, including institutional ones, offer secondary education. However, there are only 144 approved teacher vacancies at the secondary level in the district. Although a secondary school is supposed to have five teacher posts, many schools do not have even a single approved vacancy.

As a result, most schools are relying heavily on teachers working under relief quotas and teaching-learning grants. According to Rajendra Bhatta, Information Officer of the District Education Coordination Unit, Dhangadhi, there are 221 teachers working under the relief quota at the secondary level in Kailali. He said there is no accurate data on teachers appointed under teaching-learning grants, as such appointments are managed by local governments.

Bhatta stated that the number of schools has increased since 2074 BS after local governments began expanding secondary-level education. However, the number of approved teacher posts has not increased accordingly. “The approved posts are outdated. There is no current basis for approving posts, and there never has been,” he said, adding that teaching continues through relief and grant-based teachers and that classes have not been disrupted despite the shortage.

Previously, 43 temporary posts were created at the higher secondary level in the district. Currently, 87 teachers are working under the relief grant quota at that level. District Education Coordination Unit data show that Kailali has 376 basic-level schools, with 209 teachers in permanent positions and 368 working under relief grants.

Although local governments are fully responsible for managing education up to the secondary level, there is confusion regarding teacher management in relation to approved posts. In Tikapur Municipality, there are 12 secondary-level schools, but only seven have approved teacher posts, with 14 permanent teachers in total. Some schools have only one post, while five schools do not have any secondary-level teacher posts at all.

In schools without approved vacancies, education is being delivered by teachers appointed under relief and teaching-learning grants. Tikapur Municipality Education Officer Naresh Awasthi said that 21 teachers are working under relief grants and 11 under teaching-learning grants in secondary schools. He added that 998 students are currently studying in Grade 10 in community schools within the municipality.

The municipality has 22 approved secondary teacher vacancies, while 25 teachers are working under relief grants and three under teaching-learning grants. Additionally, 41 teachers have been appointed in secondary schools under municipal grants. At the primary level, there are 93 vacancies, with 46 teachers working under relief grants and 32 under municipal grants. Awasthi said that without relief and grant-based teachers, educational activities would not be possible.

Teachers appointed under municipal grants receive relatively low salaries. The municipality pays a monthly salary of Rs 20,000 to secondary-level teachers and Rs 18,000 to primary-level teachers. “While an office assistant earns Rs 19,000 per month, primary school teachers appointed on municipal grants receive only Rs 18,000,” said Awasthi, noting that low salaries have made it increasingly difficult to recruit teachers.

A similar situation exists in Bhajani Municipality, where 11 schools provide secondary-level education. There are only seven approved vacancies, and nine schools still lack approved teacher posts. According to Education Officer Pankha Bahadur Shah, 15 teachers are working under relief grants, 17 under teaching and learning grants, and 14 have been appointed through municipal grants. A total of 284 students are studying in Grade 10 in Bhajani.

Due to the shortage of approved teacher posts relative to the number of schools, most community schools in Kailali are operating with relief and grant-based teachers. There is concern that many secondary schools could be forced to shut down if government-provided teaching and learning grants for English, mathematics and science are discontinued.