Lamu, Chamba | 22 July — Students of Government Senior Secondary School in Lamu village, located in the remote tribal belt of Bharmour in Himachal Pradesh’s Chamba district, staged a protest on Tuesday over the acute shortage of teaching staff.
According to reports, the situation reached a breaking point after the only lecturer posted at the school — who taught political science — was transferred, leaving the institution without a single teacher.
The protest began on the school premises and continued till noon, after which the agitated students blocked the Choli-Quarsi road in the village. The blockade was still in place at the time of filing this report.
The crisis deepened after the political science lecturer, who had completed his mandatory two-year tenure in the tribal region, filed a case in court seeking a transfer. Once the court approved his plea, the school — already reeling under staff shortages — was left completely teacherless.
“When the academic session started in April, 19 students had enrolled in Classes XI and XII. But due to the absence of subject teachers, 11 students have already shifted to the government school in Holi village. Only eight students remain now,” said a student.
Local anger is brewing. Ashok Kumar, President of the School Management Committee (SMC), joined the students during the protest. “My children are not able to study properly. Despite repeated requests to the Education Department to appoint more teachers, no action has been taken,” he said. Kumar added that ever since the school was opened five years ago, it has functioned with just one teacher.
Lal Chand, sarpanch of Lamu village, said the government’s apathy towards the tribal region is pushing the youth towards educational neglect. “Parents are losing hope. If this continues, children will be forced to migrate elsewhere. The village risks losing its young generation to this indifference,” he warned.
Local residents fear the school might face permanent closure if urgent steps are not taken. “Lamu is already a remote and marginalised region. By denying our children access to education, the government is cutting us off even further,” said a resident.
The protesters have warned of intensified agitation if the Education Department fails to fill the vacant posts immediately.
