Education Minister Clarifies Temporary Arrangements, Blames Previous Government for Mismanagement
Shimla: Education Minister Rohit Thakur today clarified that the decision to recruit hourly-based teachers is a temporary measure to address the absence of regular subject teachers during their leave. He assured that this arrangement would not affect the ongoing recruitment of regular teachers across the state.
In a press statement issued here, Thakur said that the hourly-based teachers would be engaged for a maximum of ten days per month. “This initiative ensures that the education of students does not suffer when regular teachers take leave,” he stated, adding that principals have been authorized to appoint hourly-based teachers to avoid any disruption in classes.
The Minister emphasized that the present Congress government remains committed to filling vacancies in the Education Department through direct recruitment. He revealed that the state government is in the process of recruiting 15,000 personnel across various categories, with over 3,000 teachers already appointed. The remaining positions are being filled through an ongoing recruitment drive.
Taking a dig at the opposition, Thakur accused the BJP of politicizing the issue. He criticized opposition leaders for creating unnecessary “hue and cry” over teacher recruitment and urged them to reflect on their tenure. “During their government, no significant recruitment of teachers was undertaken. This severely disrupted studies and led to a significant decline in academic standards,” Thakur remarked.
Highlighting the failures of the previous BJP-led government, the Minister pointed out that former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur focused solely on announcing new educational institutions or upgrading existing ones without allocating budgets or ensuring adequate staff. “These politically motivated measures were aimed at gaining electoral benefits, but the people of Himachal Pradesh rejected such hollow initiatives and gave a massive mandate to the Congress government,” he said.
Thakur also noted the consequences of this mismanagement, stating that the state’s education standards fell sharply, leading to Himachal Pradesh slipping to the 21st rank nationally. He held the former Chief Minister accountable for the decline and demanded an apology for the damage caused to the education sector.
“The Congress government has not only resumed direct recruitment but has also filled vacant positions through promotions,” Thakur added. He reiterated that the appointment of hourly-based teachers is a stopgap measure, which will end as soon as the recruitment of regular teachers is completed.
“Our government’s commitment to improving education in government institutions is unwavering,” Thakur said, assuring that quality education will remain a top priority for the Congress government.
