Assures of ‘sensitive approach’ to exceptional cases
KOHIMA —
Nagaland’s advisor for school education, Kekhrielhoulie Yhome, has said the
ongoing process of transfers of teachers will continue despite opposition from
various quarters.
He, however, assured that exceptional cases would be handled
with a sensitive approach.
Earlier this month, the Nagaland Department of School
Education ordered the transfer and posting of at least 1,650 teachers. On
February 6, the department issued a notification for the redeployment of 278
mathematics and science graduate teachers.
Additionally, on February 10 it notified the transfer and
posting of 840 primary teachers, 341 graduate teachers, and 191 graduate and
undergraduate Hindi teachers as part of the rationalisation process in
government schools across the state.
Interacting with PTI on the sidelines of an event at
Mengujuma village here on Saturday, Yhome, who is also an MLA in the state
assembly, said that rationalisation is a process aimed at balancing teacher
distribution, where teachers are reassigned from schools with surpluses to
those with shortages, especially in rural and underserved areas.
"We are committed to fairness in our approach, and
while we understand the personal struggles of our teachers, the ultimate goal
is to ensure that our students, in both rural and urban areas, receive the best
possible education," Yhome, the advisor for school education and also
State Council of Educational Research & Training (SCERT), said.
He also admitted that though the process is simple in
theory, it has faced hurdles due to personal challenges the teachers face,
including health issues, family responsibilities, and the desire to stay closer
to their home areas.
"There are teachers who are seriously sick, some
terminally ill and others who are caring for sick relatives. Some may never be
able to return to their schools again," Yhome said, explaining the
humanitarian side of the issue.
Speaking on the opposition faced by the government after the
issue of the notifications on rationalisation, Yhome said that many teachers
prefer to be posted in more accessible urban areas, leaving remote villages
under-staffed.
Following the rationalisation notification, various student
bodies have also expressed serious concern and opposed the process, saying it
is irrational and unjustified. According to the student bodies, it would have
far-reaching implications for the entire state.
The student bodies, while asserting that they support the
rationalisation policy, charged the department, saying that this time the
process has been done randomly without any groundwork, statistical reports and
without consulting the district authorities.
The advisor, however, acknowledged that the process is
cumbersome and some teachers are not fully equipped to handle such changes
swiftly.
"It’s going to take time to resolve these issues,"
he explained.
Despite the difficulties and opposition, Yhome assured that
the rationalisation process would continue as planned, with the
"department revisiting cases where specific concerns or exceptional issues
arise".
"We're not here to disrupt the lives of our teachers,
but to help our students receive the best education possible, regardless of
whether they live in urban or rural areas," the Yhome asserted.
