Kochi: Govt higher secondary school principals and teachers across Kerala flagged an acute shortage of non-teaching staff, saying the crisis crippled routine school operations and pushed principals into performing clerical and even menial duties, such as cleaning toilets and filling water tanks.

Higher secondary teachers had pinned their hopes on fresh fund allocation in the recent state budget to address long-pending issues. However, with no specific budgetary provision announced, disappointment has set in among teachers. The teachers have now decided to intensify protests seeking urgent govt intervention to resolve their grievances.

Despite Kerala being widely hailed for its achievements in school-level education, principals and teachers in higher secondary sections (classes XI and XII) said their working conditions were deteriorating due to the absence of dedicated support staff. At present, no clerks, office assistants, peons or sweepers are directly attached to higher secondary sections in govt schools. As a result, principals and teachers alleged they were forced to shoulder administrative, clerical and maintenance work in addition to their teaching and leadership responsibilities, severely affecting academic and administrative efficiency. Under the existing arrangement, higher secondary sections are expected to depend on non-teaching staff from secondary schools. However, principals pointed out that these staff members are already overburdened and are rarely available to assist higher secondary sections.

A principal of a govt school in Edappally described the situation as increasingly unmanageable. “Neither a clerk nor a peon is provided. The principal has to do the job of both. Every day I reach school around 7.30am and make sure the water tanks are filled because there is no one else to do it and students cannot be denied drinking water,” said the principal who did not wish to be named. “At times, some of us are even forced to clean washrooms,” he added.

Echoing similar concerns, a principal from a govt school in Ezhikkara said the crisis was widespread and was ignored by successive govts, irrespective of political affiliations.

“In aided schools, the management appoints sufficient staff to handle clerical and office work. In govt schools, principals or teachers are forced to open and close school gates, visit treasuries to process bills and even ring the school bell before classes,” he said.

“There are more than 800 govt higher secondary schools in Kerala with over eight lakh students. But staffing patterns have not kept pace with the growing administrative workload,” said a principal from a school based in Alappuzha district.

Kerala Higher Secondary School Principals‘ Association (KHSSPA), the only major principals’ organization not aligned to any political party, said repeated pleas to the govt failed to yield results. “We demanded separate non-teaching staff for years, but the govt is reluctant to commit. There is no permanent solution in sight,” said KHSSPA president Sakkeer Sainuddeen.

Following earlier protests, the govt allowed principals to appoint guest faculty to take classes and limit their teaching hours. However, teachers said this did little to address the core problem.

S Satheesh, regional deputy director (RDD) overseeing higher secondary schools in Ernakulam and Thrissur, admitted that the issue persisted across districts. “We have reported the plight of principals and teachers to higher authorities. Even with court interventions, it has not had lasting change. It is for the govt to formulate a clear policy with adequate budgetary support,” he said.

Urgent Measures Needed

The teachers said that although the pre-degree was abolished in 1997-1998, delinking the higher secondary from college to school, the integration was not complete even today.

Although the high court stepped in on the issue in favour of the non-teaching posts in the higher secondary sector, the non-teaching posts were not created by the govt.

Although uniformity in the school system with an integrated high school and higher secondary was proposed, the implementation was lax, affecting operation of the schools.

Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals.

Subscribe to Newsletter to get latest insights & analysis in your inbox.

All about ETEducation industry right on your smartphone!