Bains claimed that posts would be filled soon both through promotions and new recruitments following which 90% will be filled. (File Photo)Punjab education minister Harjot Singh Bains said in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Monday that 31,370 posts of teachers, across various cadres, were lying vacant in government schools.Bains presented the data in the House replying to the question asked by Congress MLA and leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa.Bains said that the majority posts (20378) were lying vacant in master cadre (for class 6 to 10). The minister, however, clarified that the vacancy was due to court stay on promotions in master cadre, which has now been cleared. He claimed that posts would be filled soon both through promotions and new recruitments following which 90% will be filled.According to the data tabled by Bains in the House on the day 1 of the monsoon session, 7259 posts are vacant in primary cadre including 4627 ETT, 657 head teacher, 221 central head teacher and 1754 special educators.In master cadre, 20378 posts are lying vacant out of 59513 sanctioned. In lecturers category (class 11 and 12), 3733 are lying vacant of 14130 sanctioned.The Democratic Teachers Front (DTF) in a statement said that minister’s own statement has brought to light the truth of the so-called “Sikhya Kranti” (education revolution) of the AAP-led Punjab government.DTF state president Vikramdev Singh and General Secretary Mahinder Kaurwali said that the vacant posts of more than 1100 principals in 1927 secondary schools are also a mockery of Sikhya Kranti.Story continues below this ad“The 20378 vacant posts of Master Cadre also show the sincerity of the Punjab government. Despite these vacancies, about 30,000 teachers are engaged in non-academic work. Students who came to government schools from private schools are going back to private schools due to shortage of teachers. The Punjab government is encouraging privatization of education by keeping posts vacant in government schools. The Punjab government should launch a recruitment drive to fill all the vacant posts of teaching and non-teaching staff in the education department,” said the DTF.