Dimapur, Feb. 27 (EMN): Students unions in Wokha are demanding reinstatement of a teacher they say is from a school that is experiencing shortage of teaching staff. The Ralan Area Students' Union (Rasu) and the Liphanyan Students' Union issued separate press releases on Thursday questioning if the authorities want to ‘strengthen’ schools that already have excess number of teachers.
The Rasu stated that a graduate teacher was ‘redeployed’ from government middle school (GMS) at Liphanyan to government middle school at ‘Longsa A.’
The organisation queried the authorities ‘whether rationalisation is made to deploy teachers from schools with shortage of teacher to strengthen schools with excess teachers or vice-versa.’
“For as far as the knowledge of the office, GMS Liphanyan is understaffed at present with only 12 teachers whilst the actual strength for a GMS should be 14 teachers. The office would also like to know why the concerned party like the VEC (village education committee) Liphanyan was not consulted before the redeployment prior the order,” the press release read.
The students’ group ‘strongly objects the redeployment of the teacher along with the post and would also like to question the directorate of School Education that on what ground/basis the rationalisation/redeployment was made.’
The organisation has demanded that the authorities cancel the ‘deployment’ of the teacher along with the post.
“Failing to do so will mean that the department have no concern for the students’ community as academic sessions have already resumed and shortage of teachers will hamper the students in the long run,” the Rasu stated.
The Liphanyan Students' Union also raised a similar demand and warned that the department would be held responsible for any eventuality.
The union questioned the transfer order for the teacher, stated to be an English teacher, ‘along with the post from GMS, Liphanyan to GMS Longsa A without the knowledge of VEC, Liphanyan.’
The union questioned the department “on what ground the rationalisation or redeployment was made when GMS Liphanyan is already facing shortage of teachers.”
The press release stated: “It is also to mention that the GMS Liphanyan was awarded the best VEC from Wokha district in the year 2009 and the school is still running smoothly and progressing with a good number of students enrolment and while the new academic session has already started, it will be injustice on the part of department towards the students to let the school function without an English teacher.”
The students’ union has urged the education authorities to either cancel the transfer order of the teacher or appoint a replacement immediately. ‘Failing which, the department will be solely responsible for any eventually,’ the students’ union stated.