Supreme Court blasts appointment of ad-hoc primary teachers by states

New Delhi, May 20 (PTI): State governments are spoiling the education system and the country's future by staffing primary schools with ad hoc teachers lacking the required qualification, the Supreme Court said on Monday. A bench of justices B S Chauhan and Dipak Misra expressed strong disapproval of such a system and said it was "shocking" that it can be pursued even after the implementation of Right to Education Act. "A populist principality cannot spoil the future of the country. We want to know qualification of teachers," the bench said while hearing Gujarat government's plea on a case pertaining to appointment of 'Vidya Sahayak' in primary schools in the state. "How do you bring such policies when there is Article 21A. It is shocking. There are such appointments in UP also. These Shiksha Sahayaks (helpers) are Shiksha 'shatrus' (enemies)," the bench observed asking the state government to place details relating to qualification and appointment of such teachers. The bench noted that ad-hoc appointment of primary teachers is done in many states, which pay them less than a quarter of the salary given to regular teachers. "Once we have implemented Article 21A, can we allow such system? Our concern is quality of education and we are very serious about the kind of education we are imparting," it said adding, "We spoil the entire education system by appointing ad-hoc teachers who do not have proper qualification".