9,503 Primary Schools Sans Teacher!

New Delhi, Apr 17 (UNI) As many as 9,503 primary schools across India have no teacher and another 1,22,355 have only one teacher each, according to a newly-published Report Card on schools.

Data put together by National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA) also showed that on an average a primary school in India has 4.19 teachers.

The Report Card did not indicate how the schools manage without any teacher or with just one teacher to look after five classes.

Although the Report Card has been published year after year for the past four years, no steps appear to have been taken to remedy or rationalise the situation.

Releasing the District Report Card: 2005-06 yesterday, NUEPA vice chancellor Ved Prakash said it was based on primary-level data collected by District Information System of Education.

He said the Education and Planning Department in collaboration with the Human Resource Development Ministry was compiling data for Secondary schools.

The publications update more than 400 variables for 604 districts across 35 states and union territories on all aspects of universalisation of education.

They are the product of a joint effort by the Ministry, NUEPA and the United Nations Children's Fund to strengthen India's education database.

The system annually covers 1.12 million schools imparting elementary education with September 30 as the date of reference.

Here are some more findings: -- The number of schools covered grew from 8,53,601 in 2002-03 to 11,24,033 in 2005-06; -- Nearly 87.23 per cent schools were in rural areas; -- Uttar Pradesh with 70 districts has the highest number of schools-- 1,61,869; -- West Bengal reported one Upper Primary school for every five Primary schools; and -- About 83.14 per cent of schools were government-run; Prof Prakash said that it has been made mandatory for states to check the data for authenticity.

He said an Education Development Index has been developed for Primary and Upper Primary levels and states have been ranked as per their standing.

The publications released: -- Elementary Education in India: Where do we stand?, District Report Cards, Volume I, 2005-06; -- Elementary Education in India: Where do we stand?, District Report Cards, Volume II, 2005-06; -- Elementary Education in Rural India: Analytical Tables, 2005-06; -- Elementary Education in Urban India: Analytical Tables, 2005-06; -- Student Flow at Primary Level: An Study based on DISE Data; and -- CD containing all DISE Documents.

UNI