No financial concurrence needed to fill teachers post in KK

Kalaburagi: BJP leader Shashil Namoshi won the Karnataka North-East Teachers’ Constituency election to the Legislative Council for the fifth time. He has been closely associated with teachers in the constituency, which covers all seven districts of the backward Kalyana Karnataka region. He also serves as president of the Hyderabad-Karnataka Education Society. In an interview with DH, he shares his views on the problems confronting the education sector and the teaching community. Here are excerpts:What factors contributed to your victory?I have resolved many of the day-to-day problems faced by teachers, including issues related to salaries, promotions and increments, even though I am in the Opposition. I have regularly taken up their grievances, particularly those of teachers in government and aided institutions, with officials and ensured that their issues are addressed. Teachers in the Kalyana Karnataka region have developed complete faith in me because they know that I will work for them. I have always been accessible and willing to address their problems. I also completed several major projects when the BJP was in power, which has contributed significantly to my victory.Deepfake interview fraud is now real,
a big threat to recruiting companiesThe committee chaired by MLC Puttanna submitted a report to the government following the Supreme Court judgment that made fire and building safety certificates mandatory for the renewal of recognition of private schools established before 2017-18. I am also a member of the committee. We prepared the report after consulting officials and the Secretariat. The state government must now take steps to implement its recommendations. All these factors helped me win the election for the fifth time.Is it possible to improve education standards in the region when government schools face an acute shortage of permanent teachers?Kalyana Karnataka lags behind in the education sector because of vacancies in permanent teaching posts in government schools. The government must expedite the recruitment process. On the one hand, the Chief Minister has stated that permission has been granted to fill 80% of the vacant posts. On the other, he has claimed that the Finance Department has not yet given its approval. The recruitment process is being delayed even though the Finance Department’s concurrence is not required under the special status granted to the region through the 371J amendment to the Constitution.How will you pressure the government to relieve government teachers of non-academic duties that prevent them from spending more time in classrooms?Teachers in government schools in the Kalyana Karnataka region face frequent disruptions to classroom activities because of non-academic duties such as the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, surveys and other activities, including the distribution of bananas, eggs and mid-day meals. Recording students’ daily attendance through digital apps has also become a major administrative burden for government school teachers. I will make every effort to relieve them of these additional responsibilities after consulting the Education Minister.Making interviews more fruitfulIs the absence of a full-time Additional Commissioner for the School Education Department in the Kalaburagi division hampering its functioning?The absence of a dedicated, full-fledged Additional Commissioner will adversely affect the administrative and academic functioning of the Education Department. I urge the government to fill vacant posts in key positions on priority to monitor preparations for the SSLC and PUC final examinations. Officers holding additional charge are unlikely to take full responsibility and may hesitate to sign files because of concerns about future accountability and the lack of clear authority.What are your plans regarding teachers’ welfare?I will continue to urge the government to implement the Old Pension Scheme for teachers, as promised by the Congress before coming to power in the state. The situation in government schools has become so complicated that no one is willing to take responsibility, with nearly 25% of headmaster posts remaining vacant. There is a need to appoint a nodal officer for every three to four government schools to assist teachers, monitor the learning process and improve educational standards. In-charge headmasters are unlikely to take full responsibility as they are not entitled to the allowance. I will apprise the government of the need to take appropriate measures.Basic infrastructure still eludes many government schools. How will you pursue this issue with the government?I have not witnessed any significant improvement in the infrastructure of government schools, despite the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB) allocating 25% of its funds to the education sector. There has been little progress even after the government announced the establishment of Karnataka Public Schools. Government schools in taluk and hobli centres, villages and other remote areas continue to face discrimination in infrastructure development.The state government has decided to depute lecturers from PU colleges to teach Classes 9 and 10 in government high schools. How do you view this decision?The government has made it mandatory for PU college lecturers to teach Classes 9 and 10 in government high schools, even though this provision was not included in the Cadre and Recruitment (C&R) Rules at the time of their appointment. These lecturers are not trained in school-level teaching methodologies. I oppose the government order because lecturers have expressed strong resentment, feeling that the move amounts to a demotion. There is also considerable discontent over the proposed amendment to the Karnataka General Services (Pre-University Education) Recruitment Rules, 2013.DH Interview | ‘Enterprises should own their data, avoid solutions dependent on one model’The decision to reduce the importance of the third language in the SSLC examination will adversely affect students. The government has taken such a major decision without holding any discussion with stakeholders.

Source: Deccan Herald