View Point:-
KC PRADHAN
We sympathize with the Ad-hoc Teachers going on chalk-down, pen-down and hunger strike with appeal for regularization of their ad-hoc induction, but cannot, at the same time, ignore that this is at the cost of the education of students at the fag end of the academic session.
Now that the issue has been raked up, I would be good to know the basis on which they were appointed and whether their blanket regularization will have any adverse effect on our educational system. Make no mistake, many of the ills that we have inherited are largely due to faulty and sub-standard education imparted by teachers, Jangira’s militia, brought from all over in the advent of universalization of education in the mid-1970’s. Thankfully, that lot is now superannuated and slowly and steadily the education system in the State coming on track with vision and purpose.
It is necessary that all regular appointments fall within establishment rules and the candidates should be prepared to undergo tests for the purposes intended with teaching aptitudes uppermost in mind. Though teaching qualifications have been made mandatory under TET [Teacher Eligibility Test], looking at the circumstances as perceived, this could perhaps be relaxed and specified qualifications best acquired as in-service trainees within a time-bound period and during that duration they can be retained on probation. Those who fail to qualify, could be kept on waiting list to be slotted in other departments as and when vacancies arise.
Since a Departmental Committee has already been constituted and the Hon’ble Minister has opened a dialogue, we hope the matter will be resolved amicably.
Sikkim is at last refining its education system with 20% of the budget set aside for it. It’s efforts have to be appreciated and supported by the people at large. This is one area there should be no compromise.
Having done a short stint in the Education Department, I know how challenging the job is, but can also attest that it is equally satisfying as well. The unending dilemma of not knowing how many teachers there are in the Department, I am given to understand, still exists with supplementary budgets year-in and year-out to the perplexity of Finance Department. There are substitute teachers, substitute of substitutes, substitute of those going on maternity leave, and then the substitutes continue to remain even on the return of regular teachers - a never ending dilemma. Then again sipharishi appointees of MLAs and Ministers. All this must end and the department must devise methods for appointment of teachers, in whose hands the destiny of Sikkim lies, in a fair and transparent manner. To know that in Rolep Secondary School there is only one regular staff and the remaining eleven teachers are on ad-hoc basis, and this speaks volumes about the kind of human resource management at Human Resource Development Department.
[The writer is a former Chief Secretary, Govt of Sikkim]
KC PRADHAN
We sympathize with the Ad-hoc Teachers going on chalk-down, pen-down and hunger strike with appeal for regularization of their ad-hoc induction, but cannot, at the same time, ignore that this is at the cost of the education of students at the fag end of the academic session.
Now that the issue has been raked up, I would be good to know the basis on which they were appointed and whether their blanket regularization will have any adverse effect on our educational system. Make no mistake, many of the ills that we have inherited are largely due to faulty and sub-standard education imparted by teachers, Jangira’s militia, brought from all over in the advent of universalization of education in the mid-1970’s. Thankfully, that lot is now superannuated and slowly and steadily the education system in the State coming on track with vision and purpose.
It is necessary that all regular appointments fall within establishment rules and the candidates should be prepared to undergo tests for the purposes intended with teaching aptitudes uppermost in mind. Though teaching qualifications have been made mandatory under TET [Teacher Eligibility Test], looking at the circumstances as perceived, this could perhaps be relaxed and specified qualifications best acquired as in-service trainees within a time-bound period and during that duration they can be retained on probation. Those who fail to qualify, could be kept on waiting list to be slotted in other departments as and when vacancies arise.
Since a Departmental Committee has already been constituted and the Hon’ble Minister has opened a dialogue, we hope the matter will be resolved amicably.
Sikkim is at last refining its education system with 20% of the budget set aside for it. It’s efforts have to be appreciated and supported by the people at large. This is one area there should be no compromise.
Having done a short stint in the Education Department, I know how challenging the job is, but can also attest that it is equally satisfying as well. The unending dilemma of not knowing how many teachers there are in the Department, I am given to understand, still exists with supplementary budgets year-in and year-out to the perplexity of Finance Department. There are substitute teachers, substitute of substitutes, substitute of those going on maternity leave, and then the substitutes continue to remain even on the return of regular teachers - a never ending dilemma. Then again sipharishi appointees of MLAs and Ministers. All this must end and the department must devise methods for appointment of teachers, in whose hands the destiny of Sikkim lies, in a fair and transparent manner. To know that in Rolep Secondary School there is only one regular staff and the remaining eleven teachers are on ad-hoc basis, and this speaks volumes about the kind of human resource management at Human Resource Development Department.
[The writer is a former Chief Secretary, Govt of Sikkim]
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