Kalpetta: The order of the Directorate of General Education (DGE) transferring three teachers from Kottayam district to Wayanad as part of disciplinary action has triggered a controversy as teachers’ unions across political barriers have come out against the order, terming it vindictive and against the spirit of positive correction.

The teachers were transferred citing serious behavioural issues and serial complaints from various quarters. Meanwhile, the local body representatives of Wayanad have also expressed dissent against the decision alleging that Wayanad is not a dumping yard for low-quality teachers.

It was on June 26 that the DGE issued an order transferring five teachers of GHSS, Changanassery, in Kottayam district, as they had allegedly refused to cooperate with the efforts to increase the educational quality of the institution, despite the pleas of the principal, School Management Committee (SMC) chairman and the PTA committee. Unlike the ordinary GOs, the order circulated on social networking sites also narrated in detail the allegations against the teachers inviting widespread criticism from the teachers’ community.

Among the teachers, three of them were transferred to Wayanad - Neethu Joseph (English, GHSS, Kalloor), Reshmi V M (Botany, GHSS, Neervaram) and Lakshmi R (Hindi, GHSS, Perikkalloor ), whereas other two teachers Manju TR (Commerce) and Jessy Joseph (Physics) were transferred to Kannur and Kozhikode districts, respectively.

The teachers’ organisations slammed the defamatory language of the ‘order’ which they felt, amounted to harassing the entire teachers’ community.

Interestingly, the pro-UDF Kerala Primary School Teachers’ Association (KPSTA) and the pro-LDF teachers’ organisation Kerala School Teachers’ Association (KSTA), unanimously criticised the language, treatment and defamatory contents of the order issued. Both the organisations also expressed concern in transferring the teachers facing such allegations to Wayanad, an educationally backward district.

KPSTA district president Shaju John said that though the organisation opposes such dumping of such ‘problem teachers’ to the district, the overall language of the order seem to be vindictive and aimed at harassing the individuals. “Never in the past such a transfer order, with detailed narration of the minute incidents related to the staff, had been issued,” he said, adding that the move would bring eternal shame for the teachers and also would deny them an opportunity for correction, as they would be portrayed as inferior characters in whichever school they go.

“Wayanad is not a place to dump such teachers and majority of teachers working in the district are dedicated in their work. The derogatory language of the order is suspicious and also not in tune with the dignity and decorum the education department has been maintaining for the last many decades,” said KSTA district secretary T Rajan.

“Moreover, the undue haste shown by the authorities to transfer the teachers without following the mandatory procedural steps also is dubious,” he pointed out.
Kottayam district committee and state committee of the organisation have already expressed their protest on all forums as the move would drain out the morale of the teachers of the state.

The leaders of the organisations also indicated that a complaint of one of the teachers against an official regarding his misbehaviour is under the consideration of the State Women’s Commission and the sitting of the panel was scheduled for next week. The transfer is also widely considered as one to avenge the bold reaction by the teacher and also to silence her supporters.

Going by the order, the principal, PTA and students have raised a series of complaints against the teachers including non-cooperation to the collective efforts for quality improvement, sleeping during class hours, neglect of directions from principal and PTA, and also contemptuous remarks against the well-wishers of the school. The students ‘en masse’ came out against the teachers with complaints over the inferior quality of teaching and lack of alertness in ensuring that the learning experience of the wards are up to the mark, says the order.

Wayanad District panchayat president Shamsad Marakkar issued a press release demanding immediate withdrawal of the order transferring all three teachers to the district. “I have already sent a letter to the education minister regarding the order,” he said.