Ahmedabad: Teacher shortage hits schools as Gyan Sahayak appointments lag

Ahmedabad: The new academic year in the state began on Monday, but a severe shortage of “Gyan Sahayaks” is raising serious concerns over students’ education. With appointments yet to be made, many schools are being forced to run classes without adequate teaching staff, directly impacting the quality of learning.

According to sources, govt and grant-in-aid schools across the state are facing a significant shortage of teachers. A key reason behind this situation is the retirement of a large number of teachers on May 31, which left thousands of posts vacant. The education department is being criticised for allegedly failing to make advance arrangements to fill these vacancies.

The issue has worsened as contracts of last year’s Gyan Sahayaks have not been renewed. In previous years, schools were allowed to appoint temporary or visiting teachers to manage such gaps. However, due to govt’s continued insistence on implementing the Gyan Sahayak scheme, permission to appoint visiting teachers has not been granted.

As a result, students in urban, rural, and remote areas are struggling due to a lack of proper academic guidance. The situation has led to growing concern and dissatisfaction among both students and educators.

The academic federation has submitted a representation to the state’s education minister, urging immediate recruitment and necessary policy changes to address the crisis and ensure uninterrupted education for students.