State education minister Jagannath Mahto admitted to a lamentable dearth of headmasters and the scenario in government schools across the state, during a meeting with teachers in an open field of Government High School in Nawadih.

He revealed that only 500 government schools across the state have headmasters, out of a total number of 3,500.

Mahto asked the teachers of government schools to take the lockdown as an opportunity to groom students and meet students at their homes to help them in studies.

The education minister said the government was spending Rs 25,000 annually on each student in government schools, but still they failed to compete with students of private schools. There are 47 lakh students and 1.14 lakh teachers and para teachers in government schools in Jharkhand.

“Private schools teachers are not more capable than the teachers of government schools. Government teachers get recruited after passing tough entrance tests. Those failed to crack entrance tests later join private schools,” said Mahto.

The education minister lamented the fact that despite good teachers and infrastructure, why students of government school not outsmart private school students.

He assessed that in private schools, the teachers are more focused and adopt modern techniques of teaching, which the government school teachers lack.

Moreover, the parents of the students in government schools do not take the education of their children seriously, he felt.

Giving an example, Mahto said, “In private schools, parents send or drop their children to school ensuring that they are nicely dressed and carrying proper books, but in government schools, the children even come without a bath. This lockdown should be taken as an opportunity by teachers to ensure that the children are taught proper grooming.”

He asked the teachers to visit the villages and meet the children and their guardians while the schools are closed.

Apart from helping students in studies, they should inspire parents to take their children’s studies seriously. He asked the teachers to improve the quality of education and focus on the personality development of students.

“It is only the teachers, who can develop the will-power of children and make them compete with the students of private schools. Books have already been distributed among students. I have asked teachers to go and inspire students at their homes. They should help the students to get familiar with the books by doing self-study and guide them if they have some difficulties,” said Mahto.

He also rued the dearth of headmasters in schools across the state.

He said without headmasters, no one is taking full responsibility for the school, which is one of the main causes behind the deterioration of the education system.

“I have given the responsibility to the education department officials to fill up all the post of headmasters in the schools either by promotion or examination. For the past 20 years, nothing has changed in the education system in the state. I always monitor every process in the department and keep thinking about the growth of children and schools. I have requested teachers to take teaching as a mission and nurture students well,” he added.

He is also working on a plan in which students of government schools only can get government jobs or they will be given priority.

Initiatives are being taken to keep teachers free from 95 per cent non-academic work and to keep them focused only on education.