JAGATSINGHPUR: Outraged students, accompanied by their guardians, staged a demonstration obstructing the entrance gate of Srimaa Ramachandi Government High School in Fethpur in Kujang block on Wednesday, to protest the untimely transfer of a teacher just three months before the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations.
The school, which has classes from I to X, has a student strength of 199. Of the eight sanctioned teaching positions, only five teachers are currently serving in the school. Sources said the transfer of mathematics teacher, Saroj Behera, to Government High School in Panuda within the same block, has not gone down well with the students.
Upon hearing the news, infuriated students along with their parents, staged a dharna demanding the cancellation of the teacher’s transfer, as only three months were left before the crucial HSC examinations. “Behera is not only a mathematics teacher but is known for his comprehensive teaching approach. We demand cancellation of the transfer order lest it will affect the students,” the protesters said.
Sarpanch of Fethpur Sidharth Prasad Pradhan said a lady teacher who was appointed as the mathematics teacher in place of Behera, is also expected to go on maternity leave next month. This will inevitably disrupt students’ studies.
Headmistress Swamprabha Padhi clarified that Behera has not been permanently transferred but deputed to another high school. “He is expected to return to our school after a few months. While we have provided a replacement mathematics teacher, it’s true that the shortage of teachers in our school remains an issue.”