Karnataka's Education Crisis: Addressing Teacher Shortages with Guest Educators

Karnataka faces a significant shortage of teachers, with 45,590 vacancies in primary schools and 12,134 in high schools. To address this, the government has appointed 51,000 guest teachers. The issue of low guest teacher salaries and rising food costs for school schemes was also discussed in the Assembly.

Karnataka is grappling with a severe shortage of educators, with the state's School Education and Literacy Minister, Madhu Bangarappa, revealing 45,590 unfilled teaching positions in government primary schools against the sanctioned 1,78,935 posts. In high schools, there are 12,134 vacancies out of 44,144 posts.

In response, the government has deployed 40,000 guest teachers in primary schools and 11,000 in high schools for the academic year 2025–2026 to ensure students' education remains uninterrupted. These measures aim to bridge the gap and provide quality education, including the appointment of special teachers to support students with disabilities.

The Assembly discussion led by BJP MLA Harish Poonja also addressed the low remuneration for guest lecturers compared to permanent staff. Furthermore, the cost of providing eggs and bananas to children under a government scheme has increased. A charitable organisation pledged Rs 1,591 crore to assist in providing these essential food items.

(With inputs from agencies.)