KMC to create permanent posts for English-medium teachers

It has been learnt that the School Education department of KMC is abolishing 24 posts for permanent teachers in Bengali-medium schools to create the same number of posts for English-medium ones. The civic body is also carving out five permanent posts for its Oriya-medium schools in similar fashion, by decreasing Bengali teacher posts by 5.

It may be mentioned that in a recent meeting of the Member, Mayor-in-Council (MMIC), KMC's chief manager (personnel) had placed the proposal for bringing down 605 teaching posts for Bengali-medium schools to 576, to make permanent teaching posts for English as well as Oriya-medium schools. It was passed in the MMIC and in the recent monthly session of the civic body, the decision also got the nod of the KMC House.

"We are laying emphasis on teaching through English-medium in our schools. The process for converting some Bengali-medium schools to English-medium has already started. For this, we have created permanent teaching posts for English-medium," a senior official of KMC's Education department said.

He further added that the Oriya students were facing difficulty as there was no school teaching their medium. "The new posts for Oriya teachers will benefit them immensely," the official added.

MMIC (Education) Avijit Mukherjee said, "The fact that we are focusing on English-medium schools does not mean that we are neglecting the Bengali-medium or any other mediums. We are keeping a watch on the smooth functioning of all our schools."

It may be mentioned that the KMC will set up two more English-medium schools in the city, one each in North and South Kolkata. The school in North Kolkata will come up at Priyonath Mukherjee Road at Paikpara in ward number 6 under Borough I, while the school in South Kolkata will be located at Martin Para, under ward 108, Borough XII of Kolkata Municipal Corporation.

At present, there are 253 KMC schools in the city, among which 17 are English-medium. "We have found out that the average number of students in English-medium schools is higher in comparison to Bengali-medium. The number of dropouts from Bengali-medium is also much more. So, we are trying to set up or upgrade our schools to English-medium," a senior official of KMC's Education department said.