Sat May 17 13:57:01 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

Nine students at Kallar Reclamation Higher Secondary School in Thummakundu, Madurai district, India, failed only their Tamil subject due to a Tamil teacher vacancy lasting over a year. Parents and activists have raised concerns about the lack of action from the De-notified Communities Welfare Department, which oversees the school. They allege that temporary teacher arrangements are insufficient for comprehensive Tamil instruction. Similar teacher shortages exist in other Kallar reclamation schools. The school head acknowledged the issue and stated steps are being taken to appoint a Tamil teacher for the next academic year.

**News Article:**

**Tamil Teacher Shortage Leads to Student Failures in Madurai School**

**Madurai, India – May 17, 2025** – Nine students at Kallar Reclamation Higher Secondary School in Thummakundu, Madurai district, have failed their Tamil subject after the school was left without a permanent Tamil teacher for over a year. The school, managed by the De-notified Communities Welfare Department, has faced repeated complaints from parents and local activists regarding the lack of qualified Tamil instruction.

Parents expressed outrage that their children, who performed well in other subjects, faltered solely in Tamil. V. Thyagarajan, a local activist, stated that previous petitions to the Joint Director of Kallar Reclamation schools requesting teacher appointments were ignored. Instead, the school relied on temporary teachers and assigned additional duties to existing staff, which activists argue is insufficient for a language as complex as Tamil.

“When the Tamil Nadu government boasts about its contribution to the Tamil language, why can’t they even appoint a teacher for the Tamil subject?” Thyagarajan questioned.

The school head, Jawahar, confirmed the long-standing vacancy and assured that steps are being taken to fill the position for the upcoming academic year. However, concerned parties are demanding immediate action, including special training for the affected students to ensure they can pass the subject in a subsequent attempt. The situation highlights a broader issue of teacher shortages within the Kallar reclamation school system, with similar issues reported in schools at Vikramangalam and Paapapatti.

This story was originally reported by The Hindu.

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