Teachers, Transfers and Turmoil
Amid complaints about unfair distribution of teachers in government schools across Nagaland, the Department of School Education ordered the transfer and posting of at least 1,650 teachers earlier this month.
- Amid complaints about unfair distribution of teachers in
government schools across Nagaland, the Department of School Education ordered
the transfer and posting of at least 1,650 teachers earlier this month.
However, what was supposed to be an exercise to solve the teacher shortage
issue faced by many schools, particularly in rural areas, was met with stiff
opposition from several student bodies, who alleged that it was carried out
without any groundwork and consultation with the district authorities, ignored
statistical reports and lacked fairness. They also claimed that it was in
violation of the Nagaland School Education Service Rules, 2017, which govern
school education employees in the state. Stating that the hasty and arbitrary
transfer of teachers has created confusion among students, parents and the
teaching community, these organisations served ultimatums to the concerned
authorities, threatening to shut down all government schools and offices in
their jurisdictions if the rationalisation orders were not revoked. Following
this, the government of Nagaland has put the transfer orders on hold. Now, the
rationalisation process is in limbo. But that doesn’t solve the teacher
shortage issue. So, who stands to lose from such confusion? Young children. Teachers
too are affected as they are unsure of their place of posting. With schools
having started the new academic year, many teachers will be worried about their
children’s education, as the admission process in many schools could be closed
by now.
- Justifying the rationalisation exercise, Advisor for School
Education, Kekhrielhoulie Yhome, said that it was initiated to address the
uneven distribution of teachers in the state. If done with fairness, it will
greatly help in imparting quality education to children, especially those from
financially unstable families. Interestingly, student bodies are against the
move over fear of affecting the education of children. But as all the parties
involved are for the welfare of the student community, finding a meeting point
through dialogue is the way forward. It is a fact that many government schools,
mostly in urban areas, have surplus teachers, while many, mostly in rural
areas, are crippled due to a shortage of teachers, besides a lack of
infrastructure. To solve this issue, rationalisation is pertinent. So, it
should not be stopped. However, the concerned department should not ignore
legitimate demands of the public, like replacement of teachers after transfer.
Rationalisation, if done for the convenience and interest of those from
influential families, will jeopardise the future of children. What civil bodies
can do is ensure that the exercise is carried out solely based on the academic
needs of respective schools. The concerned department too should be accommodative
and address genuine grievances. But stalling the whole process won’t help. It
is better to endure short-term inconvenience for long-term benefits.
