Condemning the Tamil Nadu government’s delay in sanctioning posts for teachers for 10 subjects at the Government Tribal Residential Higher Secondary School in Bargur, Anthiyur block, in Erode district, students, parents and members of various political parties staged a demonstration near the Bargur bus stop on Friday.
As many as 380 students study at the school in classes 6 to 12 that have only one teacher each for Tamil and English, while the posts for teachers of 10 subjects have not been created for the past seven years, the protesters said. Parents said that in the absence of teachers for all the major subjects, students were not taught, resulting in poor performances in board examinations. Since there aren’t adequate teachers, students are also refusing to go to school, which affects their studies, the parents said.
The parents have demanded that existing vacancies, both in teaching and non-teaching posts be filled up, classrooms be shifted to the new building that has not been used for over five years, and a cook be appointed at the hostel. They said that an announcement was made in the State Budget that schools run by the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department would be merged with those of the School Education Department, but as of yet, nothing had happened in this regard. They wanted this process to be expedited so that the posting of teachers can be done soon.
The protest was led by B.J. Ganesan, District Committee Member of Communist Party of India (CPI). V.P. Gunasekaran, State executive committee member of the Tamil Nadu Tribal People Association, S.C. Natraj, Director of SUDAR, an NGO, and others took part.
Organisers had earlier announced that they would go on a fast with the children. Since the police refused permission for the fast, a demonstration was held to seek the attention of the government.
