6,158 govt schools in Karnataka function with just one teacher

Bengaluru, Nov 25: A startling 6,158 government schools in Karnataka operate with only one teacher, responsible for educating 1.38 lac students. Meanwhile, 530 schools with zero admissions employ 358 teachers, highlighting significant inefficiencies within the system.

According to the education department, staff from schools with no students are being transferred to other schools. However, the issue persists, with the number of single-teacher schools only marginally decreasing from 6,360 in 2023-24 to 6,158 in 2024-25. Over the same period, admissions dropped by 33,974 students.

A lack of subject-specific teachers deters parents from enrolling their children in government schools. Many schools have only Kannada and social science teachers, with subjects like mathematics, science, and English given little attention. To maintain a 100% success rate, some schools reportedly expel underperforming students, further exacerbating the dropout rate.

Vasudeva Sharma, executive director of Child Rights Trust, stated, “In single-teacher schools, only Kannada or social science is taught. Parents prefer schools that offer science, mathematics, and English. Additionally, schools often remove students at higher primary levels to ensure SSLC results, leading to an increase in dropouts between the 7th and 10th standards.” He added that these dropouts frequently end up as child labourers.

Sharma also highlighted issues such as teachers influencing transfers to urban areas and irregular attendance in rural schools, leaving students without adequate education. He stressed the need for providing accommodation for rural teachers, as daily commutes of up to 50 km are unfeasible.

Education expert Niranjanaradhya noted, “Having only one teacher per school undermines parents’ confidence in admitting their children. This violates educational rights. There should be at least two teachers in lower primary schools and three in higher primary schools. A single teacher cannot manage all subjects and administrative responsibilities.”

Public education commissioner K V Trilokachandra announced that the department has initiated the recruitment of 5,000 teachers, with the primary focus on addressing shortages in the Hyderabad-Karnataka region. The campaign is set to extend to aided and private schools to alleviate the crisis.