1,400 interior schools in Assam lack drinking water, toilet facilities; 28,000 teaching posts vacant

Nearly 1,400 primary and mid-level government schools in 'char' and rural areas across Assam lack drinking water and toilet facilities for students, the state assembly was informed on Thursday.

In all state-run schools in these areas, almost 28,000 teaching posts are also lying vacant, the government said.

In a reply to a query by Congress MLA Wajed Ali Choudhury, Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu informed the House that a total of 1,391 Lower Primary (LP) and Middle English (ME) schools presently do not have any functional drinking water or toilet facilities for the students in 'char' and rural areas.

Pegu said that 347 schools have no drinking water, and 809 institutions have no toilet facilities at all in those areas.

"Drinking water facilities in 134 schools and toilets in 101 schools are presently not functional," he said during Question Hour.

The minister said that the departments concerned are working to provide drinking water and toilet facilities in the schools.

Pegu also said that a total of 27,936 posts of teachers are lying vacant in all schools in 'char' and rural areas. Out of that, 12,382 teaching posts are lying vacant at present in Middle English (ME) schools in those areas, he added.

In the Lower Primary (LP) schools, the vacancy of regular teachers stands at 8,251, he informed the assembly. Besides, 7,303 teaching posts in Upper Primary (UP) schools are also lying vacant in 'char' and rural areas, Pegu said.

Out of the total vacancy, recruitment for 4,500 LP posts in general areas is ongoing, and the document verification process of the candidates is taking place.

The Secondary Education Directorate has also carried out a recruitment exercise to appoint 9,717 teachers, he added.