KOHIMA, MAY 23 : As part of a state-wide agitation initiated by the All Nagaland School Teachers Association (ANSTA) and Nagaland Secondary Schools Field Officers Forum (NSSFOF), a total of 21,000 secondary/elementary teachers across the State will observe mass casual leave for three days from May 24.
With so many teachers all set to adhere to the order passed by the ANSTA and NSSFOF, the mass casual leave of the elementary teachers is likely to affect 2069 Government High Schools (GHS) in the State.
Addressing a press conference this afternoon at Kohima, the core committee members of ANSTA and NSSFOF informed that the decision to order all the GHS teachers for observing mass casual leave was taken following the State government’s failure to respond to their demand of total bifurcation of secondary/elementary schools from higher secondary schools.
The two constituent bodies, at the press conference, said they had given a 20-day ultimatum to the government on April 27 demanding for total bifurcation of elementary schools from higher secondary schools. The ultimatum to the State government was served as per the consensus decision of the two bodies during its meeting held on April 26, it was informed.
Though the 20-day ultimatum expired on May 17, the two bodies waited for another five days, but the government is yet to reply to their demand, it was informed.
At the meeting, the ANSTA and NSSFOF members also informed that they will initiate another phase of agitation starting from June 1, in case the government remains adamant to their demand.
The next phase of agitation, which starts on June 1, will be more extreme as all the elementary teachers will cease from attending their duties at schools.
The ANSTA and NSSFOF core committee members claimed that they have been fighting for bifurcation of the two cadres since the past 13 years.
They also informed that they have submitted several representations to the government demanding for bifurcation. The first representation was submitted on October 9, 2012, followed by another on February 17, 2014 and the third on May 15, 2015. The two bodies stated that in all the three representations, it had clearly pointed out the practical reasons why total bifurcation of elementary/secondary education from higher secondary schools is needed.
“Our demand to bifurcate the two cadres is solely to create a peaceful working environment within us. However, inspite of repeated request for smooth flow of the department through bifurcation, the State government remains adamant and nothing has been initiated so far,” the ANSTA president Ponchulo Wanth said maintaining that “total bifurcation is the only permanent solution to the chronic problems of the department.
Though sharing their concern that the students will be at lost with their agitation(s), the aggrieved teachers said “they have waited for so long and were left with no other option, but resort to state wide agitation and express their grievances.”
Clarifying to the government notification No.DSE/GEN/12-34/2014 (pt) dated 15th February, 2016, where the Headmasters and Assistant Headmasters in 41 GHSS shall be posted out of the school by way of promotion, retirement or transfer in a phase manner and would become a permanent rule in future ones the process is completed, a press note issued by the two bodies stated that “the proposed withdrawal of HM and AHM from GHSS at this juncture will be a drastic measure as it will adversely affect the students of Classes 10 and below.”
“The notification means the posts of 41 HM and 41 AHM will be no more in the composite GHSS, leading to the abolishment of 82 officers’ posts of elementary sections in the process,” a press note issued by the two bodies stated.
It added that the heavy enrolment schools will be the most tested ones as principals and VPs alone cannot manage all the classes from 5-12 with the different sections and streams.
The two bodies also lamented that the HM & AHM, though senior in service and age, will be working only is remote and village areas, whereby giving all the good facilities and preferred postings to the Principals and VPs. “This is not fair as far as the service seniority and service contribution towards the department is concerned,” the members stated.
On seniority issue and the problems that have been arising with two institute heads, the ANSTA and NSSFOF members said that “on certain cases, the student of the headmaster can be posted as principal over his teacher who happens to serve as headmaster in the same school.”
“The problem becomes more serious when the newly promoted Principals are found to be 18-20 years junior to the Headmasters,” the press note added. It was learnt that some 1983 batch of GTs are still in Headmaster’s rank, however, 2004 batch of PGTs are now principals of higher secondary schools.
The two bodies, while reiterating that permanent solution lies with the total bifurcation of the two sections by infrastructure division, insisted the government to firstly address the issue of Head of Institution.
“Whether the teacher should be the head of institution or his/her once student who is junior by 20 years in service, should be the head, should there be a common Head of Institution? – this is the concern,” it questioned.
The press conference was also attended by ANSTA general secretary Visato Koso, NSSFOF convenor Mezhü-u Hozoyeh, NSSFOF secretary Kevitsiano Luho and Rüzhükhrie GHSS headmaster, Kepelhoutuo Chüsi among others.
♦ The epicenter of problems lies with the declaration of principals as the head of the institutions under NBSE General Rules even though there is no specific guidelines and instructions from the government.
♦ The problem has become more serious when the newly promoted Principals are found to be 18-20 years junior to the Headmasters. (Some 1983 batch of GTs are still in Headmaster rank, however, 2004 batch of PGTs are now principals of higher secondary schools.
♦ In certain case, the student of the headmaster can be posted as principal over his teacher – now headmaster, in the same school.
♦ The principal’s post is not a civil service cadre