Owing to the delay in the teacher’s transfer counselling, the appointment of temporary teachers might be postponed by at least a month in government schools across the state.
Last year, more than 14,000 teachers were posted temporarily in many schools, especially in northern districts, where there is over 50% teacher vacancies in schools.
A delay in their appointment would affect the education of the students.
The teachers’ transfer counselling was originally scheduled for May last week. However, the association of primary teachers gave a representation to the election commission that the counselling should not be held when the model code of conduct is in place.
“The department recently passed a government order stating that seniority and promotions for the teachers will now be determined at the state level instead of the union level in the elementary education department. As 90% of the teachers in the department are women, this would affect them. Since the school education department stated that the GO can’t be withdrawn due to the model code of conduct, we gave a representation not to conduct the counselling till June 4,” said R Doss, who is part of Tamil Nadu Elementary Teachers Organisations Joint Action Committee (TETOJAC).
The transfer counselling usually goes on for a month and only when it is completed, the details of vacancies will be known and can be filled with temporary teachers.
Last year, 4,989 secondary grade teachers, 5,154 graduate teachers and 3,876 postgraduate teachers worked in the department. Their contract ended in April and the teachers can only be appointed after the transfer counselling and posting of graduate teachers recently recruited by the Teachers’ Recruitment Board.
As per teachers, the strength of the teachers in northern districts is especially low as a few schools are functioning with only 50% of the actual strength required.
“The department should ensure there is a stopgap measure to ensure temporary teachers are appointed in the month of June itself,” said a member of the Tamil Nadu Higher Secondary Headmasters’ Association.
He added that this would lead to difficulties in completing the syllabus and affect the examination results in the next academic year.
Meanwhile, officials from the school education department said that an order for posting temporary teachers can be given only after more than 3,000 newly recruited graduate teachers are posted in schools. “However, we will ensure it is done quickly,” they added.
