With only a teacher each in two extended classrooms (ECR) in Trongsa, local leaders are requesting the dzongkhag education office to provide additional teachers.

The issue was raised and discussed during the recent Dzongkhag Tshogdu (DT) session.

Tangsibji gup, Gembo Dorji, said there is only one teacher in the Kela ECR and the school remains closed when the teacher is away or sick.

“The teacher has to go for different work, especially to the dzongkhag and could not return to the school on time due to roadblocks and the school remains closed,” Gup Gembo Dorji said.

Gembo Dorji also said while there are options such as  central schools, the students are in pre-primary, and are too young to be away from their parents.

He said that the government’s policy is to strengthen the quality of education and it is a must that there are enough teachers to teach at the pre-primary level.

Nubi mangmi, Pema Lhamo, also pointed out that there is only one teacher for Simphu ECR which has 11 students. “An additional teacher is necessary to substitute when the teacher is away,” she said.

The DT thrizin, Nubi Gup Ugen Tenzin, said the dzongkhag should provide one additional teacher each to the two schools so that the school need not remain closed when the teachers are away. “It would help the students, as it would not hamper their daily classes.”

The dzongkhag chief education officer, Pema T Gyeltshen, said the dzongkhag is in need of 29 teachers for the year. “We were allotted with nine regular and three temporary teachers, who were sent to schools that were facing an acute shortage of teachers.”

He said Kela ECR faced teacher shortage only recently, as their contract teacher left. Meanwhile, DT members also suggested that the education office provide temporary teachers.

The DT members, however, resolved to write to the ministry asking for two additional teachers.

Nima Wangdi

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