CHENNAI: To ensure communal harmony in government schools, the School Education Department, in a circular, has directed chief education officers (CEOs) in every district to promptly inquire into complaints of caste-based bias by teachers, and transfer them if allegations are found true. The move follows a meeting chaired by the chief secretary on the implementation of the Justice K Chandru committee report in the last week of August.
The Chandru committee, constituted to recommend measures to curb caste-based discrimination in educational institutions, submitted its detailed report in June 2024. Among its key suggestions were the periodic transfer of high school and higher secondary school teachers and guidelines to prevent the posting of officers, including CEOs, DEOs, BEOs, and headmasters, belonging to the locally dominant caste in schools of a particular area. While these recommendations have not been fully implemented yet, the department has now issued a directive to CEOs to act swiftly on complaints of caste-based bias by teachers.
“Based on the circular, CEOs will hold meetings with headmasters and teachers in their districts to collect details of such complaints. Following this, officers will inquire and take strict action,” a senior School Education Department official said when asked about the number of pending caste-based discrimination complaints. He added that the department would also issue periodic reminders and guidelines to ensure that a strong message against caste discrimination reaches all officers and teachers.
The circular further instructed teachers to ensure that students do not use mobile phones in schools. If students are found using the devices, they should be seized by teachers or headmasters and handed over to their parents. The circular also reiterated the need to maintain confidentiality regarding students’ caste identity, particularly the scholarship details provided by the Adi Dravidar Welfare and Backward Classes Department.
Additionally, schools have been directed to implement the ‘Magizh Mutram’ (house system) initiative to foster unity among students and submit details of its implementation to the directorate.
They must also ensure that moral science classes are conducted effectively and issues raised through the ‘Manavar Manasu’ complaint boxes are addressed promptly.