• Threatens to block stretch between Airport and Central Jail
• Blockade to continue till Math teacher deputed in GHS Diphupar
Morung Express News
Dimapur | March 22
With the Nagaland School Education Department failing to depute a Math teacher to GHS Diphupar till date, the Diphupar Naga Students’ Union (DNSU) said the union is ready to launch its second phase agitation – blockade of the highway stretch between Dimapur Airport and Central Jail.
At a press conference on Tuesday, DNSU members said they would resort to blockade of the highway stretch if the department failed to give a positive response by March 29. “The blockade will continue till a Math teacher is deputed to GHS Diphupar”, said DNSU members.
It may be mentioned GHS Diphupar has been running without a Math teacher since September 2015 after cross transfer of the school’s the lone Math teacher.
On March 8, DNSU staged a peaceful agitation demanding immediate deputation of a Math teacher to GHS Diphupar. The agitation was suspended after the School Education department assured DNSU that the department had already initiated transfer of a Math teacher to GHS Diphupar.
A copy of an order dated March 7, 2016, signed by Additional Director, School Education, stated that “Pallab Bhaumick, G/T (Maths) GHSS Dimapur, is hereby transferred to GHS Diphupar on temporary measure until such time the Government provides regular G/T (Maths) at GHS Diphupar.”
“We waited for a couple of days, but since the teacher did not report for duty, we enquired the Deputy DEO, Dimapur, and the latter also expressed surprise”, said DNSU President Sakulemba Jamir.
DNSU also furnished copies of a letter (dated March 10, 2016), written by the Principal, GHSS Dimapur to the Director, School Education.
The letter stated, “Pallab Bhaumick, G/T (Maths) GHSS Dimapur is hereby deputed to GHS Diphupar on temporary adjustment w.e.f 14.03.2016. Whereby, Pallab Bhaumick (Maths) will be reverted back to GHSS Dimapur as when Govt. provides regular G/T (Maths) to GHS Diphupar.”
“We again waited for some days but still the teacher failed to turn up so we had to contact the DDEO again. The DDEO explained that she had done all she could from her end and that it was now up to the higher authority to take the final action,” the DNSU President said.
The DDEO Dimapur in a letter (dated March 16, 2016) to the Director, School Education, informed that the teacher had not joined GHS Diphupar till date.
The DDEO in the letter further requested the authority “to look into the matter at the earliest so as not to create more problems at the said school and avoid further agitation by the students and public of Diphupar.” According to DNSU, the said teacher has not reported for duty till Monday.
DNSU said it would be compelled to launch the second phase agitation taking into account the plight of the students. The union also called upon public in general to understand the gravity of the situation and offer suggestions to protect the interest of the students.
A musical chair of transfers and cross transfers
Even as many government schools continue to reel under acute shortage of specific subject teachers, the School Education Department seems to be playing musical chair with regard to transfer and cross-transfer of teachers. According to DNSU, GHS Diphupar has also excess of teachers barring Math subject. Adding to the irony, as students of GHS Diphupar and DNSU agitate for a Math teacher, the School Education department recently transferred two teachers from Zunheboto to GHS Diphupar. “While we are demanding for at least two Mathematics teachers, the department has instead transferred two teachers (general subject) from Zunheboto to the school. This is ridiculous as the school is overstaffed but without a single Math teacher,” a DNSU member said. “Political” transfer and cross transfer of teachers seems to be the root cause of the utter mess within the department.
