Jangpetkong students demand end to proxy teacher ‘culture’

Dimapur, August 11 : The Jangpetkong Students’ Conference. Mokokchung-based, have demanded an end to “proxy teaching.” The organization issued a press release on Thursday stating a commitment to ‘discourage proxy teaching in schools.’

The group undertook a 2-week long trip across Jangpetkong range with a cause to stand against ‘proxy teaching’ in Jangpetkong. The tour is said to have begun on July 19. It culminated on August 3.

The team inspected government schools at Chungliyimsen, Khar, Mongchen, Dibuia, Waromung, Yinnchenkimong, Molungkimong, Molungyimsen and Luyong, including Alongkima and Mangkolemba town. They also visited 26 government schools and interacted with the students, teachers, village education committees and village councils.
The students informed that they deliberated about problems confronting the educational institutions. “One major problem emphasized was the rampant practice of appointing proxy teachers in schools. This was categorically pointed out to the stakeholders, who in turn acknowledged the same as affecting the performance of the schools and the career prospects of the students,” the organization stated.

All the schools the team visited had shortage of teachers, and aggravated by the ‘practice of untrained proxy teachers taking the place of genuine teachers appointed by the government,’ the organization stated.

The Jangpetkong students stated: “The lack of mathematics, science, Hindi and MIL teachers was glaringly prominent in all the schools visited. Teachers getting transferred without following the proper procedure or without obtaining the mandatory ‘No Objection Certificate’ from the concerned VEC, village council and the SDEO was also highlighted. In a situation of teacher shortage, the unjustifiable transfers without replacement in return have further compounded the problem.”

The organization has demanded immediate reinstatement of the teachers who were ‘transferred without observing the norms’.

“If not; the JKM will continue to pursue the case till the resultant vacancies are filled,” it warned.

The organization also claimed that were ‘in total 11 proxy teachers currently teaching, who were appointed in place of the genuine teachers in agreement with the VECs.’ Proxy teachers were detected at Khar, Waromung, Dibuia, Mongchen, Vimchenkimong, Molungyimsen, Molungkimong, Luyong and A longkima EAC headquarters, the press release stated.

In this regard, the JKM urged the education committees to “immediately terminate and do away for good the proxy arrangement in the interest of the students and the future of Jangpetkong while strictly adhering to the guidelines.”

The students also noted the “lackluster attitude of the teaching faculty in general in some of the schools.” For instance, the press release stated, the assistant head master of government high school (GHS) of Dibuia, and of GHS Molungyimsen, of GHS Molungkimong and the principal and vice principal of government higher secondary school of Mangkolemba “have been absenting from work regularly which has affected the functioning of the four schools.”