School staff stall govt bid to merge non-viable units

During a meeting on Tuesday, Suresh Kumar had supported the Primary and Secondary Education Department’s decision to merge two government high schools owing to poor students’ strength and excess staff. When the staff members raised objections to the merger proposal, Kumar had said he would give a final decision on Wednesday.

He had mooted the merger idea to have independent buildings for primary and middle school, high school and first grade government college.

The staff members of the Government High School, Rajajinagar II Block, on Wednesday approached the High Court and obtained a stay. The minister said: “It is unfortunate that the teachers got the stay. A suitable decision would be taken after the court verdict.”

Some staff members of the high school alleged that Legislative Council Deputy Chairman Puttanna had encouraged the staff members to go to court against the government decision. There are two government primary, middle and high schools in Rajajinagar second block, one near ESI hospital with 170 students and a staff of 13 and another at Juganahalli with 70 students and 12-member staff.

250:10 ratio

As per the government’s norm, the ideal teacher-student ratio for a high school is 250:10. The combined teacher-student strength, if merged will be 240:25. Hence, additional 10 teachers will have to be transferred to different schools where there is workload.

The Rajajinagar First Grade Government College was started in April 2007 in the school building near ESI hospital. The government allotted Rs 35 lakh for Science laboratories but the college is yet to function due to lack of infrastructure facilities. At present, the college is partly housed in Rajajinagar and at a primary school building near old police station.

This primary school was closed a few years ago due to poor student strength.
Suresh Kumar wanted to have an independent building for the college. He proposed the merger of the two schools which would ensure three independent buildings for primary and middle school, high school and the college. He got a Government Order issued for the purpose.

Accordingly, the Primary and Secondary Education Department took up the merger process to house the primary and middle school at a building near old police station, high school at Juganahalli building and allow the building near ESI hospital to the college.