PANAJI
Students preparing for Board examinations risk losing continuity in the classroom as teachers recently promoted by the Education Department are being required to divide their working week between two schools.
Teachers, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Goan they have been asked to spend three days at the school to which they were posted following their promotion and the remaining three days at their previous institution. The arrangement, they said, has left students without their regular teacher for almost half the week.
“We are teaching Classes 9 and 10, whom we taught before the promotion. At the same time, we are now teaching Classes 11 and 12. Both are Board classes. So where are we doing justice to the students?” one of the recently promoted teachers said.
The Education Department, in an order issued last week, directed 56 of the 77 teachers recently promoted as Assistant District Educational Inspectors/Teacher Grade-I to continue their earlier teaching duties while also taking up responsibilities in their new cadre.
The promotions were ordered on August 31 on the recommendation of the Goa Public Service Commission, with several of the teachers having completed more than three decades in government service. However, the September 29 order directed 56 promotees to continue teaching at their previous institutions while attending to their new postings.
“The promotion is only on paper. In reality, we remain the same teachers,” another promotee said, adding, “Many of us have completed 30 to 35 years in service and are already nearing retirement. Yet we are now facing this dual-charge arrangement.”
A teacher due to retire in about two years questioned the practicality of moving between two schools every week.
“We have spent so many years teaching, yet now we have to move from one school to another every week. Is it possible to be at one place for three days and another for the next three? What about the students? How will they complete their studies when we are not there? Has the government studied this arrangement?” the teacher asked.
The arrangement has also raised concerns over alleged disparity between those promoted from within the department and direct recruits who were subsequently appointed to head schools.
The teachers said the problem could have been avoided had promotions been carried out regularly in the prescribed 50:50 ratio between departmental promotions and direct recruitment.
“If promotions had been carried out regularly in the 50:50 DPC and direct-recruitment ratio, this would not have happened. Many of us were denied promotions in the past, and when we finally get them, we are faced with this dual-charge problem,” a teacher said.
The matter has been raised with the Education Director, who, according to the teachers, assured them that the issue would be considered.
“The director asked us to join our duties and said the issue would be looked into later,” the teacher said.
Teachers have also questioned whether the arrangement could eventually result in teaching vacancies being filled through new lecture-based appointments instead of being addressed through the existing staff.
The Goan tried to contact Director Bhagirath Shetye for his response, but he remained unavailable despite repeated calls.
