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UDUPI: A few government schools in the district may be without a head teacher following the new guidelines issued by the education department.
 
The guidelines state that the post of head teacher will not be filled in schools with strength below 119 students (from class 1 to 7).
 
Sources in education department told TOI that the guideline is clear that in schools with below the stipulated numbers of students, the posts of head teacher will not be cancelled. But in case the existing head teacher seeks transfer or gets retired, then the issue of schools without head teacher will arise as a new appointment for the vacant post will not be done.
 
Likewise, schools with below 200 students will not get a physical education teacher and in case there are below 90 students from class 1 to 7, there will be only three teachers to take all the classes and also look after school administration.
 
As Kannada medium schools are facing tough competition with English medium schools in the coastal district, now there is more fear that Kannada medium schools shut down due to indifferent attitude of the government towards government Kannada medium schools.
 
District education officer Ashok Kamath told TOI that there are 494 primary schools in the district with below 119 student strength and as many as 425 primary schools with below 90 students. This means, 494 schools may be faced with the task of running the show without head teachers. However he disapproved claim that schools will face problems without head teachers. He reasoned that in high schools also, there are 45 high schools in the district with the posts of head teachers lying vacant, but there was no problem. He said the only problem is that the chances of eligible teachers not getting promoted as head teachers.
 
There are 582 schools with below 200 students in the district and the department is considering appointing physical education teachers to such schools on rotation basis.