Approximately 100 parents and students protested against single-teacher schools in Jharkhand’s Latehar district on Thursday, April 13, demanding teacher assignments in accordance with the Right to Education (RTE) Act.
Parents and children from 16 villages in Garu Block gathered at the block headquarters, marching with slogans like “What does Latehar need? The Right to Education! The children demand teachers from the government.”
Gram pradhans, school committee members, and parents from various villages, organized under Sanyukta Gram Sabha Manch Garu, wrote a letter to the Chief Minister highlighting the education situation, with economist Jean Dreze also participating in the protest.
The letter emphasized that nearly half of primary schools in the block have only one teacher, which violates the RTE Act requiring at least two teachers per school and one teacher for every 30 students.
The gram pradhans stated in the letter that it is impossible to provide quality education in single-teacher schools, with children left unattended when the teacher is absent or busy. They also noted that some schools have as many as 145 students under the care of a single teacher.
Out of Garu’s 40 government primary schools, 17 have only one teacher, which is against the law. This issue is not unique to Garu Block, as around 30% of government primary schools in Jharkhand are single-teacher schools, disproportionately affecting students from low-income and marginalized backgrounds.
Students and parents spoke out about the lack of teachers in their schools, emphasizing the need for additional staff to ensure quality education for all students. They called for immediate action and compliance with the RTE Act.
