Protest erupts at Raj school as students allege teachers’ shortage

Jaipur: Students of a government senior secondary school in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur district locked the school’s main gate and held a dharna over prolonged shortage of teachers at the institution, even as authorities dismissed social media claims that peons were teaching students. However, an inquiry has been initiated into the matter after a video clip — claiming non-teaching staff were taking classes at the school — went viral on social media, officials said on Friday.

The agitation was later called off after students reached a mutual understanding with the authorities, with officials assuring that urgent steps would be taken to address the shortage of teachers. The protest took place at the Government Senior Secondary School in Arani Nadi Mangal Nagar in Luni area on Thursday, with students alleging that absence of subject teachers is affecting studies.

Angry students locked the school’s main entrance and sat on a dharna outside, disrupting academic activities for some time. The incident came to wider attention after a video circulated on social media claimed that peons were teaching students at the school. Some posts also carried a student’s purported remarks alleging that non-teaching staff were handling classes. However, Joint Director (School Education) Himmat Singh Tanwar refuted the claim, calling it “completely false”.

“Only one peon has been recently posted in the school. Following the video, an inquiry has been initiated into the matter and also against the peon,” Tanwar said, adding that details regarding sanctioned and vacant teacher posts were not immediately available. The viral video also grabbed the attention of Rajasthan Parliamentary Affairs and Law Minister Jogaram Patel, who directed officials to visit the school.