Teachers' transfer will begin soon: Ratnakar

The transfer of school and pre-university teachers through a counselling process will commence shortly, Minister of State for Primary and Secondary Education Kimmane Ratnakar said on Monday.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee office in Bengaluru, Ratnakar said the education department had received applications from primary, high school and pre-university teachers seeking transfers.

“The applications will be processed and short-listed based on seniority of the teachers. The transfers will be made through a counselling process,” the minister said.

Suitable amendments had been made to the transfer rules to ensure that the deputy directors of public instruction and block education officers are not posted to their native districts, he said. If both spouses are government teachers, priority will be accorded to transfer them to the same place, the minister said.

Uniforms will be provided to all government school students by June 1, the minister said. He admitted that there was a delay in providing shoes to children in the last academic year.

However, there would be no delay this year. As recommended by the Kumar Naik report, orders have already been issued to provide one increment to pre-university teachers, he said.

He said no government school would be closed for want of students. If there are no students, then the teachers will be deputed to nearby schools.