CHENNAI: Not amused with the ongoing strike by teachers, the Madras High Court has raised a set of queries to be answered by the Education department. Justice N Kirubakaran raised the questions, while passing interim orders on a writ petition alleging that one Kalidas, headmaster of the Panchayat Union Middle School, Siruveliyanallur in Cheyyar, had continuously been absent for months.
When the matter came up on Wednesday, the special government pleader told the judge that the HM had been on unauthorised leave for months. When he came to the school in an inebriated condition, the parents of the school children abused him and locked the school premises. And he was suspended from service.
When that is the sorry state of affairs in government schools, the judge observed, a section of the teachers forum have been boycotting their work, thereby spoiling the education of the poor students. He said he would like to get certain information from the authorities concerned with regard to the ongoing agitation by the teachers.
Judge seeks answers on a slew of questions on unions
Justice N Kirubakaran wanted to know how many teachers unions/associations are participating in the strike, how many teachers are abstaining from work; whether retired teachers are also functioning as office-bearers of the teachers unions/associations; whether the private school teachers are also participating in the strike or only a section of government and aided school teachers are participating;
how many teachers are working in the panchayat union middle schools, high schools, higher secondary schools, etc; what is the population ratio of teachers in Tamil Nadu; what are the salary details of the teachers from the lowest level to the highest level and how much money is spent from the public exchequer for providing salary to them and what percentage this constitutes the total annual budget of the government;
what is the percentage of people living below the poverty line and what is their average monthly/annual income; whether the government teachers are paid less than the private school teachers or vice versa; and how many schools are affected due to strike and what are the steps taken by the Government to prevent the teachers from boycotting the work. The reply should be filed by Thursday, the judge said.