NALGONDA: The district education department has issued show-cause notices to 129 teachers for failing to comply with transfer orders issued under the work adjustment policy.
The notices direct the teachers to submit a satisfactory explanation within three days of receiving them, failing which disciplinary action will be initiated under the Classification, Control and Appeal (CCA) Rules.
Following the state government’s directions to rationalise teacher-student ratios, the district collector issued orders on July 22 transferring 233 teachers, including school assistants and secondary-grade teachers (SGTs), across various mandals.
Under the work adjustment policy, surplus teachers are shifted from schools where the teacher-student ratio is higher than prescribed to institutions facing staff shortages. In primary schools, surplus staff are identified where there is more than one teacher for 30 students, while in high schools, teachers are shifted when additional subject teachers are available alongside the headmaster.
Though the transfer orders directed the teachers to be relieved immediately and join their designated schools, 129 had not complied even after 19 days. The delay has reportedly left several schools with high enrolment without adequate teaching staff.
Allegations have also emerged against some teacher union leaders, who are reportedly supporting the non-compliant teachers instead of encouraging them to join their new postings.
A similar situation arose in September last year when 270 SGTs and school assistants were transferred under the work adjustment policy. As many as 68 teachers allegedly refused to join their new postings. Though the then district educational officer (DEO) was directed to issue show-cause notices twice, no stringent disciplinary action was taken.