Protest against transfer of 5 teachers at Bengre

Parents and students of Bengre Model Government Higher Primary School staged a protest on Wednesday, opposing the Department of Public Instruction’s order to transfer five permanent teachers from the school.

As many as 544 children have been studying in the school. In fact, the school has the best student enrolment among all government schools in Mangaluru city. Up to seventh standard, the school had 10 permanent teachers.

No teacher was deputed in place of the transferred teachers so far.

Parents, students, guardians and SDMC members, along with the local residents and members of DYFI, staged a protest and urged the authorities to withdraw the order to transfer the teachers.

B K Imthiyaz, DYFI district unit president, said, “The school had as many as 11 teachers. A physical education teacher retired recently. Under the government’s ‘Nali Kali’ scheme, the teacher and children ratio should be 30:1.”

He also pointed out, “There are 150 children studying in the first to third standard schools. These classes need five teachers. Who will teach the remaining students?”

The students boycotted the classes after the school was reopened on Wednesday.

The protesters have urged the officials to visit the spot and listen to their woes. They alleged that neither the department nor the local legislator had taken any measure to solve the problems. Even the in-charge headmistress of the school has been transferred. “Transfer of teachers is an injustice to the poor children,” said the protesters.

SDMC President Khairunnisa too has urged the concerned authorities to revoke the transfer order.