Our Correspondent
Kohima | May 5
The Nagaland Government Higher Secondary School Employees Association (NGHSSEA), the only registered Association in the Education Department, today announced its phase wise agitation starting from May 10 if the Government fails to fulfill its four-point demand.
The demands of the NGHSSEA are the submission of incumbency list and post continuation to the AG to enable the officers of school education department to obtain pay slips; publish seniority list of officers of higher secondary section under the school education; promotion of higher secondary officers to fill up the vacant posts.
It also demanded review of the order in respect of 23 GHSS wherein DDO power was withdrawn from GHSS Principals and handed over to DEOs of secondary cadres intensifying cadre conflict.
Having submitted several representations earlier this year, the NGHSSEA stated that it has not seen any visible progress and therefore had served an ultimatum of seven days to the Government on May 3.
If the Government fails to respond in the span of seven days, the Association informed that it will begin its phase wise agitation from May 10 where a symbolic protest will be held in the first phase, with the members wearing black badges from May 10 to 12. In the second phase, the members will hold a pen down strike and in the third phase, there will be mass casual leave.
Holding a press conference on May 5 at LCS Building, Kohima, the NGHSSEA also mentioned the consultative meeting held the same day where the meeting resolved to demand the government for total bifurcation of the Higher Secondary Education from Secondary and Elementary Education Department and the abolition of Deputy District Education Officer.
Taking into account all the Administrative and structural problem the Association said it wants total bifurcation of the Higher Secondary Education from Secondary and Elementary education.
“If the government brings any proposal to abolish the post of DDEO which is presently occupied by Higher Secondary cadre, the Association will oppose the proposal. The present DDEO post allocated to the Higher Secondary cadre should be retained,” it maintained. NGHSSEA president Kelhika Kenye mentioned that the Association came to know that the government was contemplating to withdraw the DDO power from the Principals, and some Headmasters. So upon learning, the Association approached the government and briefed them that the removal of DDO power from the Principal will be a strategic mistake.
“Because DDO power in the school level is exercised as an administrative tool and not as financial tool. DDO power is the only efficient administrative tool that serves to check absenteeism, irregularities of employees,” said Kenye. Despite the appeal, the Government went ahead and issued the order where the DDO power will be transferred to the DEO and subsequently, 23 Higher Secondary schools has been affected.
“Stripping the effective tool from the administrative head is one thing but now handing over this DDO power from those Higher Secondary principals to DEO has created serious complications. The Department has been facing cadre conflict. The friction between this two cadres has intensified,” the Association said.
On submission of incumbency list and post continuation to the AG to enable the officers of School Education department to obtain pay slips, Kenye said, “Unless incumbency list and post continuation is submitted to AG, where most officers draw pay slip from AG, we cannot take out our pay slip,” adding that the failure of the department of take care of the basic service matters of the employees has affected the employees.
On the demand for publication of seniority list of officers of higher secondary section under school education department, Kenye informed that since 2011, the seniority list for the higher secondary sections has not been prepared. Therefore the Association is of the view that in the absence of proper seniority list maintained there is conflict among the cadres and officers which is unhealthy, he stated.
On the demand for promotion of higher secondary officers to fill up the vacant posts, Kenye explained that in 2011, the Department of School Education initiated restructuring and revamping exercise where two cadre lines for promotion were created- School education and Higher Secondary education.
However, there have been alleged discrimination and unfair treatment meted out to NGHSSEA members in terms of promotion.
