Govt teachers doing vanishing act from their place of posting in Jiribam
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Jiribam, August 09, 2014:
Even though student organisations of Jiribam subdivisions have resorted to severe agitations demanding requisite teachers in the schools located in different parts of the sub-divisions and the government has given the assurance of filling up the vacant posts of teachers, a team of media persons has found out during a surprise visit today that most teachers already posted in the schools do not attend classes or stay in their place of posting, instead they engage substitute teachers.
During the visit, media team witnessed that majority of teachers who were given posting at schools in Jiribam Sub-Divisions are found to be absent from their duties.
Even though the state government has sent teachers to the schools in Barak Circle under Jiribam Sub-divisions with the objective of producing good students, majority of teachers are not attending the classes as they engage local persons on payment for attending classes in their place.
However, the Zonal Education Officer, Jiribam (ZEO), who is very much aware of all these, has remained silent on the matter.
While visiting the Choudhurikhal L.P.School, the farthest school from Jiribam H.Q, the media team realised that there is no government teacher in the school.
As informed by local people, although a teacher named Kesab Babu is said to be running the school, he does not come to the school at all.
In his place, one person called Ramchuolo from Sagolphai village is teaching the students of the school.
As drinking water is not available at the school, students used to drink water flowing from the hills.
In some other schools, duplicate teachers have been found attending classes.
Two substitutes were found teaching in Borobekra L P School.
.MMani Singh, a substitute teacher has been teaching at the school on payment of Rs.2500 per month since 2004, while another substitute teacher M.Dipan Singh has been working at the school since December 2013. Headmaster in-charge of Borobekra L P School, S.Joy Singh said, 'as a teacher by the name of Kim Baite from Chandel district has been absent from the school for the last 3 years, local men have been engaged for teaching'.
Barak Development Organisation (BDO) Chairperson Kh.
Rajesh Singh told media persons that due to prolonged absence of government teachers, most schools in Barak Circle are being run with the help of local-men.
Since we cannot establish whether they are qualified or not, there is uncertainty on how they are teaching the students, he lamented.
Assuring all possible assistance from BDO's side, he appealed to the concerned authority to look into the matter.
Meanwhile, the ZEO cannot furnish any information to the media team regarding the number of teachers posted in schools from the lower to the High school level in Barak circle and their respective posting places.
However, a staff on condition of anonymity said, 'despite the government giving orders for posting of teachers at various schools, the officers often utilise them elsewhere according to their conveniences in the name of local adjustment'.
In connection with the matter, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Jiribam Dr.Harmit Singh Pahuja admitted that there are reports of local adjustments being done by the ZEO, Jiribam.
Dr.Harmit assured the media team that he would soon issue an order asking the teachers to return to their respective place of posting and also to look into the irregularities.