Over 300 Tribal Council-Run Schools Operate with Only One Teacher Despite Healthy Student-Teacher Ratio
Agartala, April 1 — Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Tuesday informed the state Assembly that 302 primary schools under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) are functioning with only a single teacher each, highlighting a critical gap in teacher distribution despite an overall favourable student-teacher ratio.The TTAADC currently operates 1,387 primary schools within Sixth Schedule areas—regions that constitute two-thirds of Tripura’s territory and are home to the state’s indigenous tribal population. These schools serve 30,273 students and are staffed by 3,504 teachers.
Responding to a calling attention motion raised by Tipra Motha Party (TMP) MLA Pathan Lal Jamatia, CM Saha—who also oversees the Education portfolio—stressed the need for a more equitable distribution of teachers across the tribal council-administered institutions.
“Even if the student-teacher ratio is good at 9:1, 302 schools are functioning with single teachers. It shows there is an urgent need to ensure the even-handed distribution of teachers in TTAADC-run schools. If we could do it, the problem will be addressed,” he said.
State Sends Teachers on Deputation, Allocates Funds for Repairs
To tackle the teacher shortage, the state government has deputed 709 teachers to tribal council-run schools. Additionally, Rs 1.20 crore has been earmarked for school repair works in the 2024–25 financial year.The Chief Minister also stated that the state spends around Rs 66.98 crore annually to cover the salaries of teachers posted on deputation to these institutions.
Enrollment and Drop-Out Concerns in Tribal Schools
Saha pointed to several factors behind the low enrollment in TTAADC-run schools, including a declining birth rate—currently at 12 per 1,000—and the growing preference for English medium institutions.He also provided updated statistics on dropout rates, noting a significant improvement over recent years:
- Primary Level: Dropout rate decreased from 0.90% in 2017–18 to 0.5%
- Secondary Level: Dropout rate reduced from 27.10% to 10.4%
The government, he said, remains committed to delivering quality education to students in tribal areas.
