ABOUT half of government primary schools running without headteachers highlights the sheer neglect that primary education continues to suffer. Official records show that the position of headteacher is vacant in 32,000 schools. According to the 2023 Annual Primary School Census, there are 65,567 government primary schools, which means that 48.8 per cent of the schools are running without headteachers. Besides, many of the schools are facing an acute shortage of both teachers and others on the staff. The absence of headteachers has serious consequences as it undermines not only the academic atmosphere but also the overall administration of the institutions. In such circumstances, the responsibility of headteachers often falls on other teachers, already burdened with teaching duties. This redistribution of roles leads to an even greater shortage of teaching staff, contributing to learning loss. What makes the situation even more deplorable is that while the authorities frequently speak of ensuring quality primary education, the cornerstone of a strong education system, they have consistently failed to address the most basic issue of the shortage of qualified teachers.
The absence of headteachers affects school management. Headteachers serve as member secretaries of school managing committees. Their absence, therefore, severely hampers decision-making and the organisation of co-curricular activities. The situation is even more critical in schools already facing teacher shortage. Numerous schools have only two or three teachers whereas education experts say that a minimum of six teachers are required for a primary school to function effectively. The problem is more pronounced in rural and hard-to-reach areas, where the recruitment and retention of teachers are challenging. The negative impact of this widespread teacher shortage is clearly reflected in academic performance. An analysis of the now-defunct Primary Education Completion Examinations from 2015 to 2017 shows that the percentage of students scoring the highest grade point average in government primary schools was in the range of 2鈥�7 per cent. In contrast, the corresponding figure was 22鈥�24 per cent in kindergartens and 40鈥�44 per cent in primary sections attached to high schools. The indicators paint a dismal picture of the state of education in government primary schools, from which there continues to be a significant shift of students to private schools or madrassahs.
It is somewhat assuring that the chief adviser has recently issued directives for an immediate recruitment to fill in vacant positions in the schools. The authorities should, therefore, act swiftly to appoint not only headteachers but also fill in the vacant position of assistant teachers.
