CHARILAM: A heated argument broke out between Charilam’s Deputy IAS officer, Tanima Roy, and guardians of students at South Charilam English Medium School during an official visit on Thursday morning, amid allegations of an acute teacher shortage at the institution.
According to guardians, particularly mothers of students, the school has been functioning with severely inadequate staff. From Nursery to Class V, the school reportedly has only four teaching staff, including the headmaster/headmistress. Of these, one is said to be unwell, while two have been assigned census duty, leaving only the current in-charge, Bhagyashree Debbarma, to single-handedly manage the entire school.
During her visit, Deputy IAS officer Tanima Roy allegedly told the assembled mothers that if the staffing situation remained as it was, they should refrain from sending their children to school. The remark reportedly triggered anger among the guardians present, who questioned the basis of such a statement and demanded to know who had authorised her to suggest that children be kept away from school.
The incident has drawn attention to the broader issue of teacher shortages at government English medium schools in the Charilam area. There has been no official response yet from the education department or the Deputy IAS office regarding the guardians’ allegations or the staffing crisis at the school.