Coming down heavily on the practice of engaging “proxy” teachers, school education adviser K Tokugha Sukhalu said the school education department was trying to curb the practice and urged village and colony level authorities not to compromise on the issue.
Speaking at the inaugural programme of Government High School (GHS) at Thilixu village on Tuesday, Sukhalu lamented that teachers in many government schools across the State were keeping “proxy” in full knowledge of the village and colony authorities.
He appealed to the school management committees (SMC), village education committees (VEC) and elders not to compromise on teachers’ service and ensure that teachers posted in their schools do not keep “proxy”.
“There should be no compromise on this. Ensure that teachers are doing their duty dutifully. Do not compromise on teachers’ service,” he exhorted.
The adviser said though government employment has reached a point of saturation, educated youth still run after government service and after securing the jobs, most of them end up keeping “proxies”.
Mentioning that the State and society would never progress if such trend continued, Sukhalu reminded the teachers that the onus was on them to nurture bright young minds who would one day lead the State.
He also informed the gathering that the school education department was undertaking “massive exercise” in regard to rationalisation of teachers, adding it would be done in stages.
He explained that through this exercise, the department wanted to ensure that all high schools and higher secondary schools, GMS and GPS had adequate number of teachers.
Admitting that the department had “excess teachers”, the adviser said it was unfortunate that all teachers wanted to be posted in urban areas only, preferably Dimapur.
Stating that transfer issue too had become a “very big challenge” for the department, he advised the teachers not to just “run around for transfer” but be dutiful in their place of posting. He asserted that it was the prerogative of the department to reward performing teachers with posting of their choice. He announced that teachers who keep running after transfer without teaching would not be entertained.
Sukhalu called upon the teachers to do their assigned responsibilities, while urging parents to not only support government schools and teachers, but also ensure that their children were studying.
Appealing to the parents to pay attention and show interest in their children’s education, he remarked, “Pay attention to your children’s education. Don’t think that the responsibility lies only with the school for educating your children. A major responsibility lies with you as well.”
Earlier, delivering a short speech, Dimapur district education officer (DEO) R Amongla Jamir, stressed on the importance of community support for smooth functioning of government schools.
She said the government had upgraded 14 government middle schools to government high schools in 2011-12, but added that due to “many problems” faced by the schools and also due to non-fulfilment of criteria of Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE), some of these schools were downgraded.
The DEO regretted that community participation was almost nil in the schools that were downgraded, but added that the schools that were supported by the community ran smoothly.
She called upon the stakeholders to extend all possible help and support to government schools, even though she admitted that the government might not always be in a position to provide each and every need of the school.
In such a situation, Amongla said the community should come forward and extend its valuable support so that the school could flourish.
Meanwhile, GHS Thilixu was dedicated by Thilixu Baptist Church senior pastor Rev Dr Yehevi Zhimo and the monolith unveiled by Sukhalu. The event was also attended by Vikheho Swu and Er Picto, both MLAs and residents of Thilixu village.
The inaugural programme was chaired by GHS Thilixu headmistress Akaholi Chishi and welcome address delivered by SMC chairman Pucakhu Sema, who also submitted a memorandum to the school education adviser.
A special number was also presented on the occasion by GHS Thilixu students and short speech by GB Thilixu village head. While a folk song was sung by Sümi Totimi Hoho in-charge Hukheli Achumi, vote of thanks was given by Thilixu village council chairman, Nikhevi Yeptho and benediction by TVBC associate pastor Kehtoi Shikhu.