Haryana's guest teachers oppose inter-district transfers, seek withdrawal of orders

Faridabad, September 18

Condemning the online transfer policy of teachers of government schools, the Guest Teachers’ Association has sought the cancellation of the transfers of the guest faculty to other districts.

Move unjustified

According to rules, even in the case of transfer, a guest teacher is adjusted in his/her home district only. Shifting teachers to other districts or distant places, which are 200-300 km away, is unjustified. — Raghu Vats, District prez, Guest teachers’ assn

May seek legal action

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Inter-district transfer may force the association to seek legal recourse. The acute staff crunch may also lead to the closure of schools or migration of students as parents have started to lock schools. — Paras Sharma, State Gen Secy, Guest teachers’ Assn

The district unit of the association submitted a memorandum written with blood to Cabinet Minister Mool Chand Sharma for Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today.

Describing the transfer of the teachers of the middle, high and senior secondary levels of the schools as unjustified, a spokesperson of the association said the drive had resulted in the transfer of at least 200 guest teachers in the district against the set norms.

The total number of guest teachers in the district is 700.

The spokesperson said while many of the schools in the district had been left with no staff for the middle sections, the authorities had failed to take cognisance of the prevailing vacancies in a majority of the schools.

“According to rules, even in the case of transfer, a guest teacher is adjusted in his/her home district only. Shifting teachers to other districts or distant places, which are 200-300 km away, is unjustified. It seems the state government wants to do away with the guest faculty from its schools altogether,” Raghu Vats, district president of the association said.

“The online transfer policy is full of gaps as the software does not show vacancy of the teaching staff in each district. This has led to utter confusion,” he said.

Citing an example, he said a mathematics teacher (Master), who had been working for 16 years in Faridabad, was transferred to Mewat district, which was a cause of concern.

Demanding the withdrawal of the transfers of all guest teachers, Paras Sharma, state general secretary of the association, said the policy adopted by the Education Department was impractical and would lead to more problems for both students and the teaching staff.

He said: “It may force the association to seek legal recourse if the demand is not met. The acute crunch of staff may also lead to the closure of schools or migration of students as parents and students have started locking schools in the region in protest against the shortage of staff.”