The Akhil Bharatiya Primary Teachers’ Association (ABPTA), the Communist Party of India-backed teachers’ organisation has launched a movement in the district, demanding the appointment of a permanent chairman of the South Dinajpur District Primary School Council.
The post has remained vacant for the past two years, while the District Inspector of Schools (primary) is the acting chairman presently. The teachers’ organisation has started an agitation and said that the chairman is needed as early as possible to solve administrative and educational problems plaguing the teachers.
After Bachhu Hansda, the MLA of Tapan constituency, Ujjal Basak was appointed as the chairman earlier. He was, however, removed from the post for unknown reasons, and the District Inspector of Schools was given the additional post. “This is an important post that is needed to run the education system smoothly.
Planning for new schools, guidelines for schools in the district, transfer of teachers, etc, are all decided by the DPSC chairman,” sources said. There are 1184 primary schools in South Dinajpur and 4599 teachers. As per government rules, the teacher student ratio is 1:30, and a minimum of two teachers should be appointed in a school to run the mid-day meal scheme, while transfers should be made every year as per seniority basis, it is learnt.
“I started my teaching profession from a school at Kushmandi. And I have to ride motorcycle 110 km every day. I applied for my transfer two years ago, but without results. The district administration and the education department should take steps to solve the problems,” said one Sajal Mandal of Kumarganj.
The district secretary of ABPTA, Shankar Ghosh, said the situation is the result of an internal conflict in the ruling party. “The teachers are suffering as the transfer process has been stopped. More than 1000 teachers are performing their duty in faroff villages for the past 7-10 years. To continue the general transfer and for proper planning, a new chairman should be appointed as early as possible,” he said.