Escaping responsibility
By: Javaid Jawad
A middle school in education Zone Quilmuqam, District Bandipora, has seen a remarkable increase in student enrolment, exceeding 100%. The school’s growing reputation has earned the trust of the local community, leading many parents to enrol their children there.
Despite this success, numerous teachers are reluctant to accept postings at the school. Recently, eight teachers refused assignments to the institution, using their connections to avoid being placed there. This contrast highlights the school’s appeal to families and the challenges it faces in attracting and retaining staff.
The opening of schools within a one-kilometer distance under the erstwhile SarvaShikshaAbhiyan (SSA) scheme undoubtedly opened doors for large-scale employment but inadvertently affected the prestige and capabilities of teachers.
With numerous schools emerging in a locality, students were distributed among these institutions, resulting in smaller class sizes. Previously, a middle school typically had at least 300 students, with each class comprising 35 to 40 students.
Teachers were trained and accustomed to managing such large groups, fostering a unique bond among students who gathered under one roof for six hours daily over eight years. This bond was instrumental in shaping their lives, fostering love and affinity among them.
In the past, teachers faced various challenges dealing with students from diverse backgrounds, which in turn helped them develop their own personalities. Teachers from different regions would contribute to the education of the students, exposing them to a variety of cultures and teaching methods. This diversity allowed students to benefit from a rich array of experiences, while teachers shared their knowledge and insights, continuously updating and upgrading their skills.
However, with the advent of the SSA scheme, this dynamic changed drastically. The proliferation of schools led to smaller class sizes coming from the identical backgrounds (Usually in a Mohalla, familiesof identical background live) which, while seemingly advantageous, diluted the robust educational environment that larger schools provided.
Teachers, who once thrived on the challenges of managing large, diverse groups of students, found themselves with fewer students to teach. This reduction not only impacted the teachers’ ability to hone their skills but also affected the development of students who no longer experienced the same level of diversity and interaction.
The smaller class sizes under the SSA scheme meant that students missed out on the opportunity to form the strong, lifelong bonds that were previously a hallmark of their educational experience. These bonds, formed through years of shared experiences and challenges, played a crucial role in their social and emotional development. The close-knit environment of larger schools, where students learned to navigate relationships and develop empathy, was lost.
Teachers, too, were affected by this shift. The challenges they once faced, which were instrumental in their personal and professional growth, diminished. The exposure to different teaching styles and cultural backgrounds that came with a larger, more diverse student body was reduced. This limited their opportunities to learn from their colleagues and adapt to different teaching scenarios.
While the SSA scheme’s intention of making education more accessible is commendable, it inadvertently disrupted the established educational ecosystem. The smaller, more localized schools reduced the opportunities for both teachers and students to grow through diverse experiences and challenges.
To restore the prestige and capabilities of teachers and enrich students’ learning experiences, it is crucial to find a balance that combines accessibility with the benefits of larger, more diverse educational settings.
Asim(name changed) was ordered to attend the middle school with over 200 students to replace the teacher who was shifted to another school for unknown reasons.The teacher wept bitterly to register his disapproval to attend the new assignment. He was retained in the same school where he has only two classes to teach throughout the day.The message is quite clear. Such teachers don’t like to teach in the schools having promising number of students.
A fellow teacher organized a grand feast to express his gratitude to the concerned parties for facilitating his transfer to another school within just a month, allowing him to escape the burden of teaching large classes of students.
Now the question is:Are such teachers afraid of the Students?
They say teaching is a prophetic job!Why these teachers run away from the prophetic mission?
(The author is Headmaster GMS Onagam. He is the best teacher awardee)
