Temp teachers' appointment may get postponed

Delay is the result of teachers' transfer counselling being put on hold as the Model Code of Conduct is still in force SUBASHINI VIJAYAKUMAR @ Chennai 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.

-  SUBASHINI VIJAYAKUMAR

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Since the school education department stated that the GO can't be withdrawn due to the model code of conduct, we gave a representation not to conduct the counselling till June 4," said R Doss, who is part of Tamil Nadu Elementary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.