New Delhi: Class XII commerce students at a Delhi govt school in northeast Delhi have alleged that they have been without a regular commerce teacher for nearly two years, affecting their studies and performance in examinations. They have sought intervention from education department, claiming that repeated requests for a teacher have yielded no results.According to them, the school did not have a commerce teacher when they were in Class XI, and the situation is the same in Class XII, a crucial year for those preparing for board examinations. Though a teacher from another school was recently assigned to take classes three days a week, the students alleged that even these classes are irregular.“We have not had a commerce teacher for the past two years. Now, a teacher from another school has been arranged for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, but she is frequently absent,” one of the students of Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, Loni Road, claimed.They said that the lack of regular teaching has affected their academic performance. In the recent mid-term exams, 35 of the 61 commerce students failed. They expressed concern that the crisis could affect their preparation for the upcoming boards.In a letter seeking an intervention, the principal repeatedly approached the authorities regarding the shortage, but a regular teacher was yet to be appointed, one of the students said. “Our principal has sent several requests to the authorities, but no teacher has been appointed so far,” the students said.Responding to these concerns, a senior education department official said the matter would be probed and arrangements made. However, the official did not specify whether a regular commerce teacher would be appointed or whether an alternative arrangement would be made to address the shortage.Despite repeated attempts, the school could not be reached for comment.The complaint comes barely two months after students at another Delhi govt school in Khajuri Khas raised similar concerns over the prolonged absence of a teacher. Education activist and lawyer Ashok Agarwal, who had sent a representation to education department on the issue, questioned the academic implications of promoting students without regular classroom instruction.“Even if some students manage to study independently, the absence of consistent teaching and proper guidance raises serious questions about whether they are acquiring the knowledge and skills expected at their level. Simply promoting them to the next class does not necessarily mean they have achieved the required learning standards,” he said.In Aug, the Khajuri Khas students alleged they had been without a regular chemistry teacher for up to three academic years, affecting more than 200 students in Classes XI and XII. Each of the four sections had 50 to 55 students, raising concerns over inadequate subject-specific instruction and preparation for the boards.Following the students’ complaints, education department arranged for a chemistry teacher to visit the school thrice a week.These recurring complaints have brought attention to shortages of postgraduate teachers (PGTs), who teach senior secondary classes, with Delhi govt schools largely relying on guest teachers and staff shared between institutions to bridge such vacancies.
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