PONDA: In yet another case of boycott of classes, the students of Government Primary School at Nanus in Usgao, refused to attend the school on Tuesday, as a protest against the government’s failure to post one more permanent teacher at the school.
The students, accompanied by their parents, also staged a dharna in front of the school, demanding posting of a second teacher to the school.
It is learnt that, all the four classes (first to fourth standards) are managed and looked after by a single teacher, almost throughout the year. He also doubles up as the headmaster.
It is further learnt that the second teacher is frequently transferred out, due to which the post remains vacant nearly the entire year.
PTA Chairman Satish Gavde told Herald that he and his predecessor had tried hard to get two permanent teachers for the school. However, since 2014, due to frequent transfers of the second teacher, there had been only one teacher managing all the four classes. Besides, there is no English teacher at the school, he complained.
Gavde said that every time the post of a teacher falls vacant due to transfer, he demands the immediate posting of a new teacher to the school.
“Earlier, there were two teachers for around 27 students studying in Classes first to fourth. However, one teacher was transferred recently and we were demanding another teacher in his place since many days,” Gavde said adding, “Without sufficient number of teachers at the school, our children are falling back in education.”
He said that before Tuesday’s boycott, the parents had warned the education department officials that their children would not attend classes, if a teacher is not posted to the school immediately. Though the officials promised to post a teacher, they failed to live upto their promise, Gavde added.
He said that the parents are furious at the government for neglecting the primary schools.
Meanwhile, the education department officials, in an effort to calm them down the parents and to convince them to withdraw their agitation, sent a temporary teacher to the school.
However, the parents insisted that a permanent teacher be appointed immediately, failing which, they have threatened to continue the agitation.
This is the second boycott in Usgao since the start of the academic year. In the first case that occurred a fortnight ago, students of government school at Davshirem boycotted classes as a mark of protest against government’s failure to repair the school roofing.
