Published On : Tue, May 30th, 2017

Administration’s fresh diktat puts NMC teachers in a fix

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Nagpur: As if the severe beating the NMC-run schools are taking on several counts is not enough, a fresh diktat issued by the civic body administration has put the teachers on the mat. The NMC Administration has directed every teacher to visit at least 600 houses and create awareness on segregation of wet and dry garbage. Moreover, the teachers have also been asked to procure consent letters from every house owner in connection with the waste segregation. The work of every teacher would be evaluated in this regard. This fresh diktat of NMC administration has left NMC Teachers Association fuming and now they are mulling a protest.

The “Fatwa” was issued at a meeting held in Vasantrao Deshpande Hall on May 26 and, not to mention, the NMC teachers were made to attend the meeting ‘compulsorily.” The teachers, headmasters and School Inspectors who were “enjoying” cooler breeze at homes in this scorching summer attended the meeting. And the diktat left them flabbergasted.

The President of NMC Teachers Association Rajesh Gavre said that the summer vacation in NMC-run schools has come into effect from May 10. However, on May 9 itself, the NMC administration directed the teachers to undertake a drive for opening of bank account of every student. The bank account of student is necessary for securing State grants for school uniforms. Subsequently, the teachers completed the task within a week thinking the rest of the vacation days would be “comfortably” spent. Some teachers were planning outing to enjoy the holidays. But their plans stayed where they were, in their minds only. On May 26, headmasters and School Inspectors informed the teachers that a meeting has been organised at Vasantrao Deshpande Hall and the attendance is a “must.” Skipping the meeting would result in cut in a day’s salary. Out of fear, around 1000 teachers showed their faces at the meeting. As the meeting started, the NMC administration “changed” the agenda and issued the diktat. According to the “Fatwa,” the teachers have to undertake an awareness drive from June 5 regarding segregation and collection of wet and dry waste. The NMC Teachers Association protested the diktat but the administration chose to turn deaf, Gavre claimed.

Gavre further said that the recent statement of Mayor that teachers are being paid more salary than the Corporators and therefore they should work more has not gone down well with the teachers. “The NMC teachers, apart from teaching round the year, are asked to do other works. Despite the High Court directives that the teachers should not be forced to do other jobs except teaching, the NMC administration refuses to adhere to the directives. The Teachers Association has demanded that the said work should be done through Health Department,” Gavre said.

Even though Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) run schools have created a buzz in the state due to the ‘Mission Parivartan’ project, nothing much is being done to improve the condition of schools. NMC officials say 120 of its 200 schools have no headmasters. The number of teachers is more than sanctioned, but lack of proper management ruins any chances of quality education.