Agartala: Around 340 schools in Tripura with a combined enrollment of 6,492 students are being run by only one teacher each, according to the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) 2024-25 report released by the Ministry of Education.
The report, published in August this year, highlighted significant gaps in manpower deployment in schools despite improvements in infrastructure indicators.
It also noted that Tripura has no school with zero enrolment, which officials described as a positive sign of increasing access to schooling across the state.
According to the data, the overall Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR) in Tripura stands at 18, which is within national norms.
However, the average enrolment in single-teacher schools is just over 20 students. Education experts said that single-teacher schools compromise the quality of education as one teacher is forced to handle multiple classes and subjects.
Tripura currently has 4,943 schools, all of which have electricity connections. More than 97 per cent of the schools have separate toilet facilities for boys and girls. Officials said these indicators reflect the success of basic infrastructure development through centrally sponsored schemes such as Samagra Shiksha and state interventions.
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The total student enrolment in 2024-25 stood at 6,90,084 across all categories of schools. Of this, 4,88,370 students are enrolled in 4,187 government-run schools.
Another 28,103 students study in 42 government-aided schools, while 12,067 are enrolled in other schools, including Kendriya Vidyalayas, Eklavya Model Residential Schools and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas.
Private schools in the state account for 1,61,544 students, spread across 485 institutions.
The report indicates a growing preference among parents for private schools, as the average enrollment in private schools stands at 333 students, which is more than double the state average of 140 students per school.
The data also reveals a stark disparity in teacher deployment between government and private schools.
While 27,601 teachers are posted in 4,187 government schools, private schools employ 8,195 teachers despite being smaller in number.
The average number of teachers per government school is seven compared to more than 16 in private schools.
The UDISE report underlined that Tripura has achieved near-saturation in basic infrastructure such as classrooms, drinking water and boundary walls. However, it lags in modern facilities essential for digital and scientific learning. Only 41 per cent of schools have internet connectivity. Rainwater harvesting systems are available in 186 schools, representing just 3 per cent of total institutions, and solar panels are installed in 221 schools, accounting for 4 per cent.
Computer education has seen modest expansion, with 3,289 schools offering computer classes. In private schools, 85 per cent provide computer education facilities.
However, science laboratories are available in only 428 of the 1,229 secondary-level schools, raising concerns over practical science learning.
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Student retention remains a challenge, particularly at the secondary level. The dropout rate at this level is 8.80 per cent, the highest among all categories.
At the middle level, the dropout rate stands at 3.20 per cent, while the foundational (primary) level has a dropout rate of 1.30 per cent.
Officials said the state government has initiated steps to address teacher shortages and modernise school infrastructure through phased recruitment and the introduction of smart classrooms in government institutions.
However, educationists warned that unless teacher deployment and learning outcomes improve in government schools, the migration of students to private institutions would continue.
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