A critical shortage of non-teaching staff in government schools across Dakshina Kannada district is forcing teachers to take on menial duties like sweeping and cleaning, severely impacting the educational environment. With over 80% of sanctioned posts for support staff lying vacant, educators are being diverted from their primary teaching roles to manage basic upkeep, raising alarms about deteriorating learning outcomes.
Staggering Vacancy Rates Paralyze School Administration
Official data reveals a dire situation within the Department of Education and Literacy for Dakshina Kannada. Out of a total of 453 sanctioned posts, a staggering 325 positions are currently vacant, representing a vacancy rate of over 71%. The crisis is most acute within the schools themselves. For non-teaching roles in schools—including First Division Assistants (FDA), Second Division Assistants (SDA), and Group D workers—the numbers are even more alarming.
Schools have been sanctioned 338 non-teaching posts. However, only 65 of these are currently filled, leaving a massive 273 posts vacant for years. A cadre-wise breakdown shows the extent of the deficit:
- First Division Assistants (FDA): Sanctioned: 46, Available: 24, Vacant: 22.
- Second Division Assistants (SDA): Sanctioned: 116, Available: 29, Vacant: 87.
- Group D Workers: Sanctioned: 176, Available: 12, Vacant: 164.
This means the availability of crucial Group D staff, responsible for cleaning and maintenance, stands at a mere 6.8%.
Teachers and Students Bear the Brunt of Systemic Failure
In the absence of proper support staff, the daily functioning of schools has been severely compromised. Teachers report being forced to sweep classrooms, clean surroundings, and even washrooms. The government allocates approximately Rs 12,500 per year per school for cleaning, covering both materials and salaries, but educators say this fund is grossly insufficient.
"The department officials suggest we hire help locally to do the cleaning work, but the payment they demand is higher than what the government fixes," explained a teacher from the Moodbidri Block Education Office (BEO) limits. "As a result, some cleaning is done by midday meal workers and teachers. With no other choice, the rest is done by students."
This practice of involving students in cleaning duties, particularly washrooms, is not only against the law but highlights the administration's failure, teachers argue. Another teacher from Belthangady BEO limits pointed out the inconsistency in government policy: "When there is a shortage of teachers, the government appoints guest faculty. Why can't the government appoint people on a contract basis to fill D group, FDA, and SDA posts in schools with good admissions?"
Office Deputation and Lack of Recruitment Plans Worsen Crisis
Compounding the problem in schools is the deputation of the few available clerks and attendants to the District Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPI) office, which itself suffers from a staff shortage. The DDPI office has 63 of its 115 posts filled, with 52 vacancies.
A high school teacher noted, "Those available clerks and attendants sanctioned for the schools have been deputed to the DDPI's office... FDA and SDA work is also done by [teachers] themselves." This leaves schools completely stripped of administrative support.
Despite repeated condemnations from teachers' organisations urging immediate sanction of non-teaching posts, the district administration has indicated no plans for recruitment. GS Shashidhar, DDPI of Dakshina Kannada, confirmed that there are currently no plans to fill these vacant positions, with officials citing financial constraints as a primary reason for the delay.
The situation presents a clear paradox where the government's aim to improve educational quality is being directly undermined by its inability to provide basic operational support, forcing educators into roles they were never meant to fill and potentially violating child protection norms in the process.
