Cooch Behar School in Crisis with Just One Teacher for 108 Students

Shashikesh Roy, MP,  6 July 2025,  Cooch Behar :  Garbhanga Junior High School in Rampur-II Gram Panchayat is facing a severe educational crisis. With over 100 students enrolled, the school has only one teacher to manage classes from Grade V to VIII. Established in 2012, the school started with 70 students and one teacher. Over a decade later, the student strength has grown to 108—but the number of teachers remains unchanged. A Group-D staff member joined in 2018 but has since retired, leaving the school solely in the hands of acting headmaster Sanjay Dutta. If he takes a sick day or leaves, the school remains shut.

Students are currently being taught in only two classrooms, often with two different classes running simultaneously in one room. Parents and local residents have voiced growing concern over the deteriorating quality of education and the lack of attention from the administration.

“There’s only one teacher for four classes. How can students get proper attention? We’re also concerned about the children’s safety,” said Bharati Biswas, a parent. “Many families are now sending their children to schools several kilometers away.”

Dutta admits the situation is dire. “Managing over a hundred students alone is nearly impossible. We urgently need at least three more teachers. Repeated appeals have been made to higher authorities, but there’s been no progress,” he said.

The lack of basic infrastructure, insufficient classrooms, and zero administrative support have left students disadvantaged and demotivated. Locals allege that despite multiple requests over the years, no concrete steps have been taken.

When contacted, Biplab Singh, Secondary School Inspector of Rampur Circle, said: “We’ve forwarded the request for teacher appointments to the higher authorities. We will also assess other issues related to the school.”

Until then, the future of more than 100 children at Garbhanga Junior High School remains uncertain.

Courtesy & source: Millennium Post