HRDD organises coordination meeting in Mangan, discusses health of education and schools in district

MANGAN, 30 May: The Human Resource Development Department, Mangan, North district organized a coordination meeting between Principal's, Head masters, teachers of different schools, Panchayats, Zilla members, School Management Committee (SMC), School Management Development Committee (SMDC) and the officials of line departments.
The Joint director, HRDD (N), SD Bhutia while delivering the welcome speech informed that some of the primary schools in North have been closed owing to low enrolment.
In the open discussion session, the Headmasters, teachers and panchayats informed that the teachers of primary schools are facing problems due to delay in payment of monthly salaries. It was also highlighted in the discussion that some primary schools do not have proper toilets and drinking water facilities which needs to be looked into. Transfers and postings are not a serious matter but transfers should be done before the session begins it was stressed. It was further added that regular teachers should be appointed in place of adhoc teachers.
The ADC (N), RM&DD, C Gyatsho Bhutia, highlighted that delay in disbursement of teachers salary is due to carelessness in the maintenance of accounts, miscommunication and shortage of staff which has should be addressed. Mr Bhutia suggested that toilets and drinking water can be managed by area panchayats using funds under the MGNREGA scheme which is in surplus but, he added that except Hee-Gyathang GPU, no one had submitted details of new works under MGNREGA, which should have been proposed by the first week of May.
He also focused on North Sikkim earthquake affected houses which is 5016 in total and the department had targeted 2958 new houses to be constructed in North Sikkim.
The DM (N), in his address said that the teacher’s problem can be settled within the district itself and it has been notified to higher authorities several times. He added that the government has taken the right decision to fulfil the shortage of teachers but transfers should have been done before the session began.
The chief guest in his address said that there are several problems but they can be solved and regarding teacher transfers he added that the public of North district had demanded that shortage of teachers in different schools of North Sikkim be addressed.
The programme concluded with the vote of thanks by Dy. Director, HRDD, RN Singh, who informed that those teachers who stay absent without any information will be considered as leave without pay as per department norms. He added that the department is trying to resolve the problem soon.