Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 19
In what can be seen as implicative of calling for a major ‘overhaul’ in the education-administrative mechanism, the All Nagaland School Teachers’ Association (ANSTA) has submitted a Charter of Demands containing an elaborate 17 points, to the Government. Some of the major demands are that Secondary Education and Higher Education be bifurcated, with separate Directorates for each; review of existing service rules while another point asked that no NCS/IAS cadres be appointed to the post of Director of the given department.
“As it is well aware that the twin sets of teachers’ recruitment is GT and PGT which is self-explanatory and there should not be any clash or service interests; and due to government negligence to evolve a policy while introducing the streams has forced the department in turmoil” stated the ANSTA memo signed by Ruduovilie Chielie, president and N Thungchio Shitiri, General Secretary and addressed to the Principal Secretary, Government of Nagaland, DSE. It also suggested that post-percentage be worked out on basis of number of schools and workload of Secondary, Elementary and Higher Secondary from the existing lot with one Principal Director or Director General under the same directorate. “As both categories of teachers should not be deprived of their promotional avenues in any manner due to Government’s failure of an ordinance” it added.
In regard to service rules, the ANSTA maintained that the existing service rules are defective due to which manipulations are taking place by vested government officers “in their own convenient interpretation” and so review be seriously considered. “As the present service rules 2002 has a number of loopholes and anomalies that effects the employees particularly in promotion matters and many have been benefited out of the way” it stated and review be undertaken “to avoid hue and cry” later. In regard to anointing NCS/IAS cadres to post of directors, the ANSTA demanded that in no case should the stipulated cadres be made mandatory cadres to hold post of Director in School education as the department is a technical department dealing with human resources development.
Up-gradation of Deputy Inspector of Schools (DIS) post to assistant Director was also demanded.
The status of DIS must be equivalent to Assistant Director with administrative power to execute its role as an inspecting officer. “The nature of work is not equivalent to HM’s rank and therefore it should be upgraded as promotional post like that of DEO posts so as to prevent doing rounds as a political post. As the schools are under the supervision of Field Officers more importance be given with more responsibilities and assignments so as to enhance the working capacities of a designated officer” the ANSTA stated.
The association also demanded that provisions for promotional avenues be made. It stated that the department has been experiencing much ‘tussles’ with the government owing to bring outsiders/ex-cadres as Director of School Education claiming that departmental officers are not fulfilling the qualifying service in cadre-posts. “Therefore to avoid this reoccurrence and confrontation, there should be provision of 25% vacancies of AHM and equivalent posts be allowed for departmental promotion examination to those Sr.GT with B.Ed so as to get more efficient officers to man the department” the ANSTA demanded.
Other points for redress in the CoD includes continuance of commuted leave as in the past with necessary modification in the leave sanction “as teachers are human beings and get sick like others and should not be equated with the vacations because department itself is a vacation department”; streamlining post specifications as per staffing pattern of teachers; establishment of an academic cell in the directorate and necessary guidelines be formulated separately to evaluate/supervise the ESLC/HSLC and related school performances in academic matters; fair charge allowance to teachers in-charge of GPS; halt to promotion by superseding; redress of ex-cadre posts so as not to ignore mainstream cadres; issuance of regularization order an early date to those serving 10 years above and 5 years above categories of Ad-Hoc teachers who have appeared screening tests last year; manning of GMS by AHMs; B. Ed (TGT) be made mandatory for promotion; strict adherence to merit-and-seniority basis for all promotions; detachment of attached teachers etc.
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