Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 18 Jul: The Upper Subansiri Galo Students’ Union (USGSU) on Thursday strongly objected to the mass transfer and posting of teachers from the district, particularly from Dumporijo circle.
In a press conference held at the Arunachal Press Club here, members of the USGSU said that it has appeared on social media that 21 teachers, including the principal of the government higher secondary school in Dumporijo and the headmaster of the government secondary school in Baririjo Barijo, have been recommended to be transferred out of the district by Dumporijo MLA Rode Bui.
The union said that the report of en masse transfer of teachers that appeared on social media “appears to be a case of political vindictiveness on the part of the MLA, which will have a severe effect on the already fragile education scenario of the district.”
“We don’t oppose transfer and posting of teachers. Our concern and contention is that reports of mass transfer of teachers have surfaced when the entire district is facing acute shortage of subject teachers.
“In such a situation, en masse transfer of teachers from the constituency, without sending relievers, is totally condemnable news,” USGSU general secretary Dinel Richi said.
Apparently, Bui recommended transferring 21 teachers, including the principal and the headmaster, from his constituency. “Bui indicated the posting places such as Monigong (Shi-Yomi), Tawang, Tirap, Anjaw, Changlang and Longding districts for transferring of those mentioned teachers,” the union claimed, adding that “the MLA’s move appears to be punishment posting and political vendetta against the teachers.”
This daily could not get a comment from Bui.
“When most of the schools under Dumporijo constituency are reeling under acute shortage of subject teachers as well as shortage of teachers, effecting mass transfer of teachers will paralyse the normal functioning of the schools,” Richi added, and urged the chief minister and the education minister to look into the issue.
“Transfer and posting of teachers shouldn’t be politicised. We have no issue if mass transfer of teachers is happening by sending mass relievers. Without sending relievers against the transferred teachers, mass transfer is totally uncalled for,” USGSU education secretary Toni Ropuk said.
The union appealed to the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union and the Galo Students’ Union also to intervene in the matter.
It is learnt that the Upper Subansiri DDSE has already transferred 31 teachers within the district. The union alleged that the DDSE acted at the behest of the political leader to pressure the transferred teachers to join their places of posting at the earliest.
The secondary education director had on 7 July issued a notice, directing all DDSEs to stop transfer and posting at the district level. The director had also sought details on mass transfer and posting by the DDSEs to be submitted to the directorate.
“Twenty-seven teachers were transferred within the district before the directorate issued a notice. We put hold on the second list of transfer and posting after the directorate issued the notice,” said DDSE Pokter Rime.
However, “fifty per cent of the 27 teachers were transferred under political pressure, while the rest were done according to need,” the DDSE said.
