Dimapur, March 16 (EMN): A village in Wokha district has put its foot down on “proxy” and substitute teachers stating that the practice is linked to poor performance of schools in the area.
Nonetheless, the local authorities of the village, Mekokla, has listed out stern conditions if at all substitute teachers are required in genuine cases that the original teacher might have to go on leave, for instance, for academic reasons.
Likewise, the village has announced a ‘no work no pay’ policy that it stated shall be enforced strictly on teachers who are found absent without prior permission from the authorities.
A joint meeting of government school teachers and members of village education committee of Mekokla Village Council (MVC); and parents, and leaders of Mekokla Students’ Union (MSU) was held March 9 in Mekokla village’s community hall.
A press release on Saturday informing about the meeting stated.
The community leaders attending the meeting are are said to have expressed concern about “the deteriorating conditions of government schools and various issues faced by the students who are unable to obtain the required educational knowledge.”
Among other issues, the village organisations lamented the practice of “keeping proxy/substitute teachers,” which was found to be a damaging factor as far as the performance of the school is concerned, the press release stated.
‘In view of maintaining healthy records the following agendas have been laid down for necessary action: The village bodies issued a stern notice against maintaining of proxy/substitute teachers on any ground unless a genuine and authentic cause is evident or grant of study leave granted by department of School Education,’ the press release stated.
The organisation stipulated that ‘in case of study leave granted by the department of School Education substitute teachers are to be compulsory arranged as per the directive of department of School Education.’
Such arrangements are to be made in advance with official communication to the village education committee with a copy sent to the MVC and MSU too, for necessary perusal.
Further, the organisations stated that no-objection certificates for study leave will be issued on careful examination of the qualification and eligibility of the substitute teacher; necessary norms to be followed in writing, addressed to the authorities in accordance with the norms stipulated in the state government’s Leave Rules.
“The hours long meeting also laid out that no work no pay shall be strictly enforced on the teachers who are absent without prior permission from the concern authorities and it also urged the teachers to report on duty a day or two before opening of school every after break,” the press release stated.
The village bodies made clear that parents being an important stakeholders for the educational growth of students, meetings of parents and teachers are to be held once every quarter. This is required to maintain cordial parents-teachers relations, the updates stated.
