If Teachers are unhappy, can students be happy?

HYDERABAD: It’s the school teachers who face the music, almost always, for the dismal literacy rate in a State. They, quite often, have to face the flak for the lack of their active participation in improving the prevailing scenario. Teachers, however, contend that unless the government is pro-active in taking care of their benefits and service conditions, nothing can translate into action — unhappy teachers make unhappy students.

It may be recalled that recently a memo released by the education department allocating Rs 18 per day as an honorarium for principals and teachers of primary schools and Rs 25 for principals of high schools for working during summer vacation last year, has received the wrath of teachers.  In addition, a month after meeting the Joint Action Committee of Teachers Associations, and despite an assurance that their demands would be looked into, no action has been forthcoming.

Teachers alleged that since 2015, government school teachers have neither received promotions nor had any transfers. According to the service rules, teachers have to be transferred every two years.  “We have also demanded upgradation of language pandits and physical education teachers (PETs).

Last year, 3,534 posts were upgraded but till now these teachers are continuing in the same post with same pay,” said Chava Ravi, general secretary, Telangana United Teachers’ Federation. In the 25,966 mainstream government schools, there are 1.14 lakh teachers and 17,000 vacancies. Though the Teachers Recruitment Training (TRT) for filling up of 8,700 posts was conducted between February 24 - March 3, with several court cases against it, it’s anyone guess when the result would be declared.

Raghushanker Reddy, state president, Democratic Teachers Federation said that not hearing out their problems indicates the government’s inclination to downsize government schools.  

“Of the 585 mandals in the state, 540 Mandal Education Officer (MEO) posts are vacant and headmasters are discharging these duties.”

“In the absence of a monitoring mechanism in place there is bound to be absenteeism and quality of teaching will also nosedive,” said Reddy.