Teachers’ shortage hits pry school in N’ganj

Academic activities at No. 39 Kajhardi Government Primary School, located in Sadipur Union of Sonargaon, Narayanganj, are facing a severe crisis due to a shortage of teachers.

The school has 313 students from pre-primary to fifth grade across six classes, but only three female teachers are currently conducting all classes. The institution has no permanent head teacher and is being managed by an acting head teacher.

Although the school is geographically located in Sonargaon Upazila, it remains administratively under Bandar Upazila.

According to school sources, the institution was established in 1971 and has long been the only educational option for students from around ten nearby villages.

Due to the absence of sufficient quality schools in the area, hundreds of students enroll here every year. However, the ongoing teacher shortage is severely disrupting the learning environment.

Since the transfer of head teacher Dulal Mia on December 31, 2024, no new head teacher has been appointed. Currently, teacher Momtaz Akter is serving as the acting head teacher.

According to official standards, the school should have at least seven teachers, but it has never had more than five.

At present, four teachers are assigned, but one is on maternity leave, leaving only three teachers actively conducting classes. In addition, one of the remaining teachers has already received a transfer order.

As a result, the three teachers are handling all classes daily, significantly affecting the teaching process. This has hampered students’ learning outcomes and increased the workload on the teachers.

The situation has caused growing dissatisfaction among both guardians and students. Many fear that if this continues, the foundation of primary education for these children will be severely affected. They have demanded immediate recruitment to fill the vacant teaching posts.

Teachers said that the school’s remote location under Bandar Upazila makes commuting time-consuming and costly. As a result, teachers from distant areas are reluctant to join, and many appointed teachers seek transfers after a short period.

Consequently, the teacher shortage has persisted for years. In addition to classroom duties, teachers also have to handle various administrative responsibilities.

Acting head teacher Momtaz Akter said, “We are doing our best to continue teaching with limited staff. However, maintaining the expected standard is difficult without sufficient teachers.” She added that they are in regular contact with district and upazila primary education offices regarding recruitment and hope that new teachers will be appointed soon.