Academic activities at a good number of government primary schools in Sylhet division are being badly hampered due to acute crisis of teachers.
Some 1,464 posts of teachers, including 430 of headmasters, have remained vacant for long in four districts-Sunamganj, Sylhet, Habiganj and Moulvibazar-under the division, said sources concerned.
The district-wise vacancies are as follow: 540 posts of teachers in Sylhet, 414 posts in Sunamganj, 267 in Habiganj and 243 in Moulvibazar.
At the schools in Sylhet, three posts of headmasters, out of 136, are lying vacant in Sadar and Fenchuganj upazila each, 13 in Biswanath, 32 in Balaganj, 24 in Golapganj, 11 in Beanibazar, 24 in Zakiganj, 12 in Kanaighat and 2 in Companiganj.
Besides, 33 posts of assistant teachers, out of 404, are lying vacant in Sadar upazila, 28 in Biswanath, 32 in Balaganj, 17 in Fenchuganj, 41 in Golapganj, 111 in Beanibazar, 56 in Zakiganj, 17 in Kanaighat, 21 in Jaintiapur, 23 in Gowainghat, 14 in Companiganj, and 11 in Dakkhin Surma upazila.
Talking to UNB, schoolteachers and guardians said normal functioning of the primary schools is being seriously hampered as the posts of huge teachers have remained vacant for long.
Admitting the fact, director of regional education office in Sylhet Tahmina Khatun said that teachers coming from different region or distant districts do not want to continue teaching in the schools in Sylhet division.
As a result, the teachers are being transferred to their own districts contributing to increase in the number of vacant posts, she added.
The education official, however, said necessary steps are underway to fulfill the vacant posts of teachers. “Process of appointing teachers is going on. I hope that teachers’ crisis will be resolved very soon,” she said.
