Educational activities have been hit hard in Kalihati upazila, with 243 posts of teachers, including 57 posts of headmasters, lying vacant for a long time.

Sources say there are 172 primary schools under 13 unions and two municipalities of the upazila. Posts of 186 assistant teachers and  57 headmasters are lying vacant, hampering classes and other departmental activities.

Guardians have become seriously concerned about the shortage of teachers. Many students have already left government primary schools due to this problem.

Runi Rani Modok, acting headmistress of Maloti Primary School, said the school has 450 students against two working teachers.

Even a few days back, the school had five teachers. But the headmistress has retired and one assistant teacher is away for training. Even the acting headmistress has to visit the upazila headquarters and other places for departmental jobs. i

Zakia Parvin, upazila primary education officer, said senior teachers are being given the responsibility of headmasters whenever that post is falling vacant. This is hampering the holding of classes and other departmental activities, she added.

Earlier, 35 per cent of assistant teachers used to be promoted to the post of headmaster on the basis of seniority and 35 per cent were directly appointed. But the system was scrapped in 2009. Now, headmasters are directly appointed as the post has been upgraded to that of a second-class officer.

But this appointment procedure too has been lying suspended from 2014 as a case is pending before the High Court (HC).

Zakia Parvin said she has drawn attention to the problem in meetings of the upazila primary education committee. The government is trying to appoint assistant teachers and headmasters as soon as possible, she added.