THRISSUR: Although the government repeatedly says it will strengthen sports education in schools, the lack of physical education teachers continues to hinder training. There are 39.43 lakh students across government and aided schools in the state, but only 1,869 physical education teachers. Of these, 616 are in government schools and 1,253 in aided schools.

Physical education teacher posts exist only at the UP and high school levels. No such posts have been allotted in the LP and higher secondary sections. In schools where all sections are combined, students in LP and higher secondary depend on the UP and high school physical education teachers. The United Physical Education Teachers’ Association is boycotting sports events in protest, demanding more teacher appointments and job security.

Currently, a PE teacher post is sanctioned in UP schools only if there are 500 students, and in high schools if there are at least five divisions across classes 8 and 9. The rule follows a 1986 timetable. When C Raveendranath was the education minister, there was an agreement to reduce this to one teacher per 300 students in UP, and to consider class 10 strength in high schools, but it was never implemented.

Number of students and teachers

LP: 10.13 lakh students – 0 teachers

UP: 9.88 lakh students – 394 teachers

High School: 11.60 lakh students – 1,475 teachers

Higher Secondary: 7.25 lakh students – 0 teachers

VHSE: 56,073 students – 0 teachers

Most teachers: Malappuram – 270

Least teachers: Pathanamthitta – 58

Other districts: Thiruvananthapuram (170), Kollam (134), Alappuzha (71), Kottayam (90), Idukki (73), Ernakulam (175), Thrissur (184), Palakkad (146), Kozhikode (194), Wayanad (67), Kannur (143), Kasaragod (94).

“The government must take steps to protect physical education teachers who lost their jobs due to post cuts,” said V Sajat Sahir, General Secretary, DPETA.