Manipur Education department Transfers dead & retired teachers.

HNS/Imphal, Sep 11: Believe it not! The names of as many as six teachers who have already passed away and many others who have retired from service years ago were in the transfer order issued by the State Education Department recently as part of the effort towards rationalisation of teachers working in various Government schools in the State. Shocked over the revelation, teaching community in Manipur under the banner of Council of Teachers’ Association (COTA) have demanded cancellation of the defective transfer order and warned of launching various intense agitations including fast unto death stir from September 15 if the demand is not met. A decision to this effect was arrived at during a meeting convened by COTA at Manipur Press Club here today. Talking to media after the meeting, convenors of COTA namely P Koireng, Ch Santakumar and M Joykumar informed that the defective transfer order in question was issued by the State Education Department after praising the works of teachers during Teachers’ Day celebration. Highlighting the anomalies in the transfer order, COTA submitted memorandum to Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh and Education Minister Moirangthem Okendro, but no corrective measures have been taken up by the State Government and its Education Department, they lamented. They further pointed out that apart from inclusion of dead and retired teachers, the transfer order also have same teachers posted in two separate schools. Moreover, as per the policy of the government, teachers can not be transferred during midsession of an academic term as this would affect the students. But many teachers who were recently given new postings were again transferred and teachers who were recently posted in urban areas after serving for decades in interior areas were again posted to interior areas, they said, adding that lady teachers were also posted in interior areas where there is no government quarters or boarding facilities, not to speak about proper roads and communication facilities.COTA demanded that the Government should formulate a proper transfer policy and stop the pick and choose policy.