943 primary schools in HP running with only 1 teacher: CM

Shimla, March 24: As many as 943 government primary schools in Himachal Pradesh have only one teacher each while 1,136 schools with less than 10 students have one to four teachers, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh informed the Assembly today.

Out of total 10,766 government primary schools in the state, 411 have less than five students while 745 schools have six to ten student, the Chief Minister said. As many as 35 schools have only one student while in 14 schools, there are two teachers for one student while in 21 schools, the teacher pupil ratio is 1:1.

Replying to a question of BJP members Ravinder Singh Ravi, Satpal Singh Satti, Vijay Agnihotri, I D Dhiman and Vikram Singh, the Chief Minister said 943 schools have only one teacher each.

The situation was grim in Shimla, Mandi, Sirmaur and Kangra districts where 180, 163,141 and 107 primary schools are being run by one teacher each. While Solan, Una and Hamirpur were better placed with only 33, 32 and 24 schools with one teacher, 13 schools in Kinnaur and 45 schools in Lahaul and Spiti in tribal area have only one teacher each.

There are only two students in 71 schools, three in 65 schools, four in 100 schools and 140 schools have just five students on rolls.

PTI