Students protest in Bharmour’s Lamu village over lack of teachers

Students of the Government Senior Secondary School in Lamu village in the tribal belt of Bharmour in Chamba district staged a protest on Tuesday against the state government’s failure to provide adequate teaching staff.

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The protest began on the school premises and continued until 12:15 pm, after which the agitated students blocked the Choli-Quarsi road in the village. The blockade was still in place at the time of filing this report.

Students expressed concern over the absence of subject teachers, especially after the only political science lecturer, who was also the only teacher posted at the school, was transferred. The lecturer had filed a case in court seeking his transfer after completing the mandatory two-year tenure in the tribal area. Once relieved, the school will have no teachers left to conduct classes.

The situation has severely impacted academic activity. When the new session began in April this year, 19 students had enrolled in Classes XI and XII. However, 11 of them have already shifted to an adjoining school in Holi village due to the teacher shortage. Only eight students now remain. When the school initially opened five years ago, 32 students had enrolled in the senior classes.

Ashok Kumar, President of the School Management Committee (SMC), joined the protest alongside the students. “My children are not able to study properly. I have repeatedly urged the Education Department to post more teachers, but no action has been taken,” he said.

Kumar added that the school has had only one teacher since its inception, and with his impending transfer, it faces a complete shutdown.

Lal Chand, Sarpanch of Lamu village, said, “The lack of teachers in this tribal region is jeopardising the future of our children. Parents are anxious. We urge the government to fill the vacant teaching posts on priority.”

Local residents say that if immediate steps are not taken, more students will be forced to leave Lamu, further isolating the already-remote village from the mainstream education system.