Patna, (Bihar Times): About half of 47 lakh elementary
school teachers in the country have not studied beyond
the higher secondary level (Class XII). This was
revealed by a study done by the National University
of Educational Planning & Administration (NUEPA).
The condition of Bihar is certainly bad, but not the
worst. As high as 21 per cent of teachers are
secondary pass. The figure of UP is even lower, just
12.8 per cent.
Surprisingly Gujarat, the self-proclaimed developed
state in the midst of election stands alone in terms
of the low levels of educational qualifications of
its elementary school teachers. The state has over two
lakh elementary school teachers and three-fourths of
them have not studied beyond the higher secondary
stage. In fact, over 55 per cent of the teachers have
not got beyond the secondary (Class-X) stage of
schooling. Graduates account for just under 15 per
cent and postgraduates a mere 5.8 per cent of the
state’s teachers.
|
Class 10 or lower |
Class 12 or lower |
Graduate |
Post-Graduate and above |
Gujarat |
56.0 |
76.3 |
14.5 |
5.8 |
Bihar |
21.4 |
43.3 |
37.5 |
16.3 |
Karnataka |
33.6 |
75.1 |
19.1 |
4.0 |
Maharashtra |
37.1 |
58.3 |
33.1 |
8.5 |
Tamil Nadu |
19.5 |
42.2 |
28.5 |
29.2 |
U P |
12.8 |
37.4 |
34.5 |
21.4 |
Kerala |
32.1 |
58.2 |
33.1 |
8.4 |
West Bengal |
28.8 |
49.6 |
36.9 |
12.3 |
INDIA |
22.8 |
45.3 |
34.5 |
18.0 |
The NUEPA findings should come as a sobering thought
for educationists. Just 35 per cent of all those who
teach Classes I to VIII in the country are graduates
and another 17 per cent are postgraduates and above.
But that leaves 45 per cent who have never been beyond
school level.