Chennai Corporation schools suffer from shortage of P.T. teachers, space, and equipment

In M.K.B. Nagar, the Chennai Corporation Primary School does not have a physical training (P.T.) teacher, said Kumar* (name changed) of Class III. He claimed he had seen no P.T. Teacher or sports activities conducted at the school since he joined it. “We [students] play carrom board at our homes or after tuition classes. Nobody teaches us. There is no encouragement to play sports either,” the student said.

In several schools run by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), vacancies for P.T. teachers have soared, leaving students with no guidance. As of June 6, data from GCC showed that there were only 37 P.T. teachers for 417 schools. An official from the Education department, requesting anonymity, said 90 more teachers had been appointed from June 3. But, this is still insufficient.

At a Chennai Corporation School in Korattur, a School Management Committee member said there had been no P.T. teacher for nearly three years. “Other classes are taken during PT periods. Some active children get irritated. They want space and time to channel their physical energy,” the member said.

Sri* (name changed), a girl student from a Chennai School in Kalyanapuram of Sathyamoorthy Nagar, Vyasarpadi, claimed that sports classes were conducted only for students till Class VI, and not above. “For students from Classes VII to X, subject teachers take over the P.T. period. Girls’ students have asked teachers repeatedly to arrange regular Kabaddi sessions at the school. But no action has been taken so far,” she said. On competitions, she said, only boys play football and taken for competitions across the city, not girls.

DMK councillor R. Jagadeesan (Ward 62) said the Corporation Primary school in his ward had no P.T. teacher. “A request for filling up the vacancies, including the P.T. teacher, had been put forth during earlier council meetings,” he added.

In Ward 7, AIADMK councillor K. Karthik said, “Even if there is a P.T. teacher appointed for the schools, there is no space in the ward, such as a ground or park, to take the students out during sports period. Allocating open spaces for children must also be addressed.”

Sakthivel, of Vysai Thozhargal, an NGO, said lack of motivation, space and opportunity had also denied many students a chance to build sports skills and apply through the sports quota for higher education. “Some children sit idle during P.T. time due to a lack of facilities. If students do not have an outlet to vent their energy or utilise such skills effectively through sports, they might resort to drug abuse, which is detrimental to their future,” he said.

P.B. Prince Gajendra Babu, general secretary of the State Platform for Common School System — Tamil Nadu (SPCSS-TN), said a majority of the primary schools lack P.T. teachers. “In China, athletic prowess is identified in children before they are 10 years at the schools. This example must be followed in Chennai,” he said.

According to the Education Department official, 141 teachers were to be appointed as per the 2025–26 Budget announcement of which ninety were deployed as of June 3, and the rest are expected to be sent through agencies including YMCA.

D.Viswanathan, chairman of standing committee (Education), said P.T. teachers are being appointed based on certain qualifications for GCC schools, and that, he will check on the issue.

Government schools

Notably, there is no P.T. teacher at the Government Higher Secondary School in MKB Nagar as well. “One ball for 300 students and no P.T. teacher for Classes XI and XII. We [students] have never gone for Kabaddi or Carrom zonal-level competitions so far. We do not even care about winning at this point and just want to know how it feels to be at such events,” said Vignesh* (Name changed on request), a student from the school.

Indian National Congress (INC) Councillor J. Dilli Babu (Ward 37) said this issue will be checked and the State-level authorities will be notified for filling up the vacancies and improving the facilities.