Lack of students and 25 children per batch norm: Higher secondary teachers fear job loss

KOCHI: Concerns have been raised over the government's decision that the permanent appointment of teachers will be terminated if 25 students are not present per batch in higher secondary schools. 133 batches in government schools and 20 batches in the aided sector will be in crisis if the decision is implemented. There are also concerns that junior teachers will lose their jobs in such schools.

There are no students in 447 batches in unaided schools. As per the government order of 2024, the posts should be eliminated in batches with less than 25 students in Plus One and Plus Two in the academic year 2023-24.

The figures clarifying the shortage of children are in the RTI document regarding the Plus One admission in 2024. It was received by the State General Secretary of the Aided Higher Secondary School Teachers Association (AHSTA) S Manoj. A total of 3,65,043 students took admission in Plus-One class in June 2024. There are 20,117 vacant seats in merit seats, 3,751 in management seats, and 27,517 in unaided batches.

Districts with fewer students

The schools with the fewest children in the government sector in the state are in Alappuzha - 22. The figures for other districts are Pathanamthitta - 21, Kottayam - 17, and Ernakulam - 16.

Pathanamthitta leads in the aided sector - 8. Kottayam - 3, Idukki, Kollam, and Alappuzha districts - two each, and Kannur, Ernakulam, and Palakkad districts - one each.

"The decline in students in public schools is due to factors including the fact that students who have excelled in Kerala Higher Secondary are being left behind when it comes to the equalization of marks in the KEAM Entrance Exam."

S. Manoj

General Secretary

Aided Higher Secondary Teachers' Association