Around 600 secondary school teacher graduates are currently employed and teaching in primary schools.
This was revealed by Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro while responding to a question from Opposition MP Hem Chand on the Ministry’s plan to upskill secondary school teacher graduates teaching in primary schools in Parliament.
Radrodro says this situation has arisen due to a surplus of secondary school teachers graduating in specialised subject areas.
The Minister says more than 390 primary school teachers will graduate from the three teacher training institutions at the end of this year.
He says the Ministry is looking at giving these graduates the opportunity to fill the available positions, and that the secondary school graduates currently teaching in primary schools will be replaced by qualified primary school teachers.
Radrodro adds that the secondary teachers currently in primary schools will be transferred to secondary schools, depending on vacancies in their respective areas.
The Minister highlighted that 278 teachers will graduate from FNU, 82 from Fulton College, and 34 from Corpus Christi Teachers College.
Opposition MP Premila Kumar questioned the Minister on how many teachers who sat for the bridging course are now qualified to teach in primary schools.
Radrodro says that over 40 but fewer than 50 teachers have been engaged by the Ministry and are working towards obtaining their bachelor’s degrees specialising in primary teaching.
Meanwhile, Opposition MP Rinesh Sharma asked if the government has the finances to pay teachers’ salaries, upgrade their pay, and give them what they deserve, and when this will be done.
Radrodro assured members of parliament that payments will be processed in the next pay run for those who have applied within the period stipulated in the policy.
