[Bengia Ajum]
ITANAGAR, 2 Feb: Education Minister PD Sona said that the reshuffling of clerical staffers effected in the directorate of elementary education (DEE) will be implemented and the department won’t come under pressure from any quarter.
Reacting to the 10-day ultimatum served by the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) to the state government to implement the transfer orders or take action against staffers for non-compliance, Sona said there is no question of taking back the order and the department is committed to implementing the transfer order.
Talking to this daily, the education minister said that the transfers and postings are being done with the aim of improving the functioning of the department.
“Starting with the recent reshuffling in the DEE, in the coming days, we will take more such steps to streamline the education department. These transfers are being done on a need basis and after studying the ground reality,” said Sona.
He urged people to support the initiative to streamline the education department. “We need the support of every stakeholder in this regard. I also appeal to my MLA and party colleagues to extend support to the initiative of the department. When we start taking action to bring changes, often people resist and start pushing political leaders to try to intervene, which is uncalled for,” said the minister.
He informed also that a survey is being conducted in the districts to know the ground reality of the functioning of the government schools. “Wherever there is zero enrolment we will close down such schools. Instead of quantity, we will focus on improving the quality of the schools,” added Sona. He expressed hope that there would be visible changes on the ground in the next three to four years.
Recently, the AAPSU had submitted a representation to the chief secretary, stating that some transferred employees are not complying with the transfer orders and are adamant about not moving from their positions, even after weeks have passed since the orders were issued. On 17 January, the commissioner of education issued a transfer or reshuffling order for nearly 40 staffers in the DEE. Some of the staffers are refusing to follow the order, which made the AAPSU write to the chief secretary.
