Resentment brews among school staff

Despite being aware that schools do not have adequate number of teachers and the tall claims of the department that teachers are being appointed,the posts continue to remain unfilled. The school heads claim that since the department did not provide them any assistance,they somehow ‘managed’ by asking teachers to teach different subjects to ensure that at least the syllabus was completed.

Defending the department’s laxity,Director Public Instructions (Schools) Samwartak Singh said: “We have identified the schools that are facing acute shortage of teachers. We appointed teachers throughout the year but some schools were left out,which was,however,not deliberate. We have initiated the recruitment process and schools will soon have enough teachers.”

Meanwhile,principals and headmasters of over 50 schools have not been regularised even two years after they were promoted. While they work in the capacity of a principal or headmaster,they continue to draw the salary of either a lecturer or a master.

The UT Education department and teachers have been at loggerheads for quite some time now over their (teacher’s) names not being cleared in the Departmental Promotion Committee.

With the Administration threatening them with dire consequences in the view of poor results next year,resentment seems to be brewing within the fraternity now.

“The Administration has failed to give us revised grades but has so conveniently made us the scapegoat for the poor performance. Their punishing us is not justified when they cannot give us our dues,” said Vinod Sharma,president,Government Teachers’ Union. He added that the Administration had assured them that it would take up the matter in court and act accordingly,but they are still awaiting a reply from the officials concerned.

“We are not averse to taking up responsibility for bad performance but the Administration should be considerate enough to see that we are being denied our rights,” said a principal,on condition of anonymity.

Among the schools that have acting heads include government model senior secondary schools in Sector 18,20,22,35,46,47,Government Senior Secondary School (Girls) in Sector 23 and 45. In some non-model schools that figure on the list of the worst performers,the post of principal is lying vacant for close to a year now. Government Senior Secondary School in Dhanas is a case in example.