In a bid to uphold an optimal pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) within the educational landscape of West Bengal, the State Education Policy has recommended a distinctive transfer policy. Under this proposed policy, educators will be obligated to undertake a mandatory tenure of service in rural regions.
To sustain the requisite PTR across districts, the government may contemplate instituting a policy mandating teachers’ service in the state’s rural areas for a duration of five years, or a suitable period aligning with the principles applied to medical doctors during their recruitment. Despite the state’s commendable overall PTR statistics, inequalities persist at the district, block, and school levels. The School Education Department has been urged to formulate a comprehensive transfer policy, informed by meticulous micro-level analysis, to ensure that PTR remains consistent within specific schools or regions.
Moreover, the policy advocates a review and revision of the sanctioned teaching positions throughout the state, in alignment with current enrollment trends. This strategic step is envisioned to standardize PTR levels across all regions.
This forward-thinking approach aims to optimize the educational landscape across West Bengal, ensuring equitable access to quality education for all students, regardless of their geographic location.