Akangjungla
It is a shame to see the presences of proxy teachers taking over the government run schools. Unemployed youths who may not have even the basic qualifications to teach are representing the teachers employed in the institutions which are meant to build and educate the human resources. Proxy teachers have taken over teaching in few states of the Country, as reported by the World Bank study titled ‘Getting the right teachers into the right schools: Managing India’s teacher workforce’ released in 2017. The study reveals “...alarming problem reported by a few States in the study is that of proxy teachers, whereby a teacher appointed by the government illegally appoints another person to work in her/his place for some consideration.”
The appointments of proxies “illegally” have painted a very negative image of the education scenario in Nagaland and more so, it has worsened the quality of education in so many levels. Often considered as the most convenient arrangement made by the “qualified teachers” to stay in a place of their preference, is costing much more than the certain per cent of the salary they pay to their proxies. The most common reasons the “qualified teachers” cites for “illegally” appointing their own proxy is the location of their posting, better education for their children, health ground and so on. They expect everyone to understand their “ground realities” while there is the need for them to explain the poor quality of education in government schools as evident from their poor performance in board examinations and the increasing rate of drop outs.
After much appeals and ultimatums, the Nagaland government undertook an exercise to cleanse the education system of proxy teachers “appointed” by regular employees in February 2020. The Department of School Education issued a directive that required erring teachers to report to their places of posting and email photographic evidence to the department. Earlier in November 2019, the department had conducted a verification drive where it was detected that 438 teachers from different districts in Nagaland had kept proxy teachers in their place of posting. They were faulted for violating Rule 4 of The Nagaland Government Servants Conduct Rules, 1968.
The teachers, whose names were listed in the department website, were directed to immediately report to their respective schools and send two photographs of them (one in front of the school, and the second one teaching inside the classroom) every working day, unless directed otherwise, from their own email ids registered with the department. The department might have the record of the actions taken against these defaulting teachers.
In order to do away with the malpractice of proxies, the burden cannot be only on the school education department and the government. The issue is now not just about the educational institutes. It should fall on the communities. The government posts teachers to schools and the School Management Committees and the village authorities are entrusted to ensure that teachers are in their place of posting and doing their jobs. To address the evil of proxy teachers, correctives measures such as addressing the “quota” of the land owners, the village authorities, and the committee members needs to be eradicated. Here the misfortune is to a great extend the stakeholders themselves have become part of the problem.
The Nagaland School Education Advisor on Wednesday made a request that “If there is shortage of teachers, bring it to our notice. If there are problems, bring it to our notice.” This clarion call can be the way forward to address the malpractice of proxies. The parents and individuals concerned must take the assignment upon themselves to get involved, be vocal and take action against the wrong practices of allowing unqualified people to damage the very foundation of a child.
Comments can be sent to akangjungla@gmail.com
