CPI(M) Secretary Demands Filling up of Vacant Posts on Priority

Port Blair, Dec. 6: CPI (M) has re-iterated its demand for filling up of all vacant posts of teachers and Heads of Schools under the Education Department. In a letter sent to the Lt. Governor, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Shri D. Ayyappan, Secretary, CPI (M) A&N State Organising Committee while referring to his earlier letter of 30^th June 2022, also addressed to the Lt. Governor said that that despite elapse of more than 5 months, there seems to be no positive action on the part of the A&N Administration to fill up the vacancies of teachers and Heads of Schools under the Directorate of Education.

The schools in these islands have reopened after summer vacation on 1^st July, 2022 but sufficient teachers are yet to be posted to the schools. Ayyappan stated that during his visit to North and Middle Andamans for the last few months, people have informed him that there is shortage of teachers in almost all the schools. Studies of students have been adversely affected particularly in subjects like Maths, Science, etc.    

Referring to his earlier letter dated 30^th June 2022, Ayyappan informed the Lt. Governor that none of the senior secondary schools in the Islands under the Education Department has regular Principal. The work is being managed by Vice Principal or senior most PGT available in the school. Similarly, most of the Secondary Schools, particularly in the outstations, do not have Headmaster/Vice Principal.  

He again informed the Lt. Governor that nearly one thousand teaching and non-teaching posts are lying vacant in the Education Department. No effective step has been taken to recruit teachers against the direct recruitment quota and also to promote the existing eligible teachers against the promotion posts. 

It is regrettable that at a time when thousands of qualified local youths are waiting to get a job in the Education Department as teachers for the last several years, the Administration has kept about one thousand posts vacant which is nothing but a challenge to the educated local youths, he said.

Shri Ayyappan requested the Lt. Governor to take effective steps to fill up all the vacant teaching and non-teaching posts in the Education Department to improve the quality of education and also to provide job to educated youths and promotion to the eligible departmental teachers.