Oh Teacher Sir, please don't go pleads students and parents !!

சுமார் 30 அல்லது 40  ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன் – பள்ளிகளில் ஆங்கிலபிரிவில் படித்தவர் குறைவு.   முந்தையகாலங்களில் 'ஆசிரியர் - மாணவர்'  உறவு அன்பான பந்தமாக இருந்தது.  நாம் இதை இயம்பினால் பழமைவாதி என பட்டியலிடப்படும் அபாயம் உள்ளது.  திருவள்ளூரில் ஒரு கிராமத்தில் அமைந்துள்ள இப்பள்ளி இப்போது செய்திகளை ஆக்கிரமித்துள்ளது !

அரசுவேலைகளில் பதவி உயர்வு ஒரு முக்கியமான நிகழ்வு.  பணிமாற்றம்  -  விருப்பத்தின் காரணத்தாலோ அல்லது வேறு சூழ்நிலைகளிலோ நடக்கவல்லது.  சமீபத்தில் தமிழ் செய்திதாள்களில் வந்த இந்த செய்தியை நீங்கள் படிக்காமல் இருந்திருக்கக்கூடும்.  :  பணிநிரவல் கலந்தாய்வு, இரவு வரை நடக்காததை கண்டித்து, மாவட்ட முதன்மை கல்விஅலுவலகத்தில், பட்டதாரி ஆசிரியர்கள் உள்ளிருப்பு போராட்டத்தில் ஈடுபட்டனர். நாமக்கல், தெற்கு அரசு ஆண்கள் மேல்நிலைப்பள்ளியில், அரசு பள்ளியாசிரியர்களுக்கான, பொதுமாறுதல் கலந்தாய்வு நடந்துவருகிறது. நேற்று, பட்டதாரி ஆசிரியர்களுக்கு, பணிநிரவல் கலந்தாய்வு நடப்பதாக அறிவிக்கப்பட்டிருந்தது. இதில் பங்கேற்பதற்காக, மாவட்டம் முழுவதும் இருந்து, 104 பட்டதாரி ஆசிரியர்கள் விண்ணப்பம் அளித்திருந்தனர். அதன்படி, நேற்று காலை, 10:00 மணிக்கு கலந்தாய்வு நடக்கும் மையத்துக்கு வந்திருந்தனர். ஆனால் இரவு, 7:00 மணிக்கே மாவட்டத்தில் காலியாக உள்ள பட்டியல் வெளியிடப்பட்டது. இருந்தும், இரவு, 9:00 மணிவரை ஆன்லைனில் கலந்தாய்வு நடத்தவில்லை. அதனால், ஆத்திரம் அடைந்த பட்டதாரி ஆசிரியர்கள், மாவட்ட முதன்மை கல்வி அலுவலகம் முன், உள்ளிருப்பு போராட்டத்தில் ஈடுபட்டனர். இதற்கிடையில் இரவு, 9:45 மணிக்கு, ஆன்லைன் கலந்தாய்வு துவங்கியதால், போராட்டத்தை கைவிட்டு கலைந்து சென்றனர். ஆசிரியர்கள் உள்ளிருப்பு போராட்டம் நடத்தியதால், அப்பகுதியில் சிறிதுநேரம் பரபரப்பு ஏற்பட்டது.

Till a few decades ago, Tamil was the primary medium of education and most of us studied Tamil medium in Govt schools or aided schools.  The bonding between teacher – student, those days was exquisite.  I still remember the teacher (Mrs Bhagavathi) who was my Class teacher for V standard at Samarao school.  She was travelling from Katpadi and like most teachers – was very kind, taught us so well – clearly a role-model whom we would like to remember.

You may have skipped the news item – of the school education department announcing the schedule for the counselling for transfers of headmasters and teachers of government high and higher secondary schools and promotions of higher secondary school teachers across Tamil Nadu. It is online application, conselling and transfers to places sought or where there was need. 

Samuthirakkani and Thambi Ramaiah were impressive in their role as school teachers in the film ‘Sattai’ - directed by M. Anbazhagan. The hero comes to a Govt school in a village in Thiruvannamalai district; the condition of the school is not great and as he manfully strives to change, is met with hard resistance by the AHM and many others.  Though he gets into turbulence, the teacher becomes a hit with the students. He gets involved in a foisted case of sexual abuse condition. He is physically assaulted too.  With all his efforts, the students do well in the exam and towards the end, he gets promoted and posted as Head master elsewhere.  The students weep – they and others do not let him go and appeal to him to continue service there itself.  The hero moves stating that change has occurred and perhaps he is needed in another place that requires change. 

All movie stuff, one may think – yet it was moving !  ~ now this newsitem has appeared in all Tamil dailies and English newspapers too including TOI, Chennai edition.

                      As 28-year-old Bhagawan tried to exit the gates of the government high school in Velliagaram, Pallipattu  in Thiruvallur  on Wednesday, he was engulfed in hugs and tears while his students held on to his arms. Their stance was clear – their beloved English teacher could not be transferred out.Demonstrating a kind of love and admiration that is rare to witness in schools today, students of the school in Tiruvallur district staged protests soon after they received the news of their teacher’s transfer. Bolstered by the support of their parents, students even decided not to go to the school on Tuesday to show that the government’s decision of transferring their teacher was not agreeable.

“We don’t want him to be transferred. He has been one of the most supportive staff members and has been like a brother to many of us,” said Nithya, a student. Not every teacher can boast of such love from students. “But then, not all teachers are Bhagawan Sir,” say his students. In a matter of four years, the teacher has formed long-lasting friendships with his students, comforting the teens as brother, ally and guide. “Many of us were not comfortable with English but with his encouragement, we were able to improve. He was always available to clear doubts at any time of the day and we could call him even late in the evenings after the special classes,” said Tamilarasan, a student.

Instead of merely focusing on syllabus, students said he gave them information on GK, social service, developing skills and prepare for competitive exams and focused on employment-oriented education.Principal A Aravind said that he had submitted a representation to officials of the education department based on the requests by parents and students. “We have requested the department if there is a possibility of retaining the teacher. He is one of the best teachers we have, completely involving himself in teaching students. During special classes that would go beyond school hours, he would help in arranging food for students and had been overall very friendly,” he said. “The students too are very affectionate by nature, something I find more common in rural schools. It is usually difficult for them to let go of their teachers but this time even parents got emotional,” he added.

Meanwhile, education department officials said the transfer is part of the usual deployment and based on teaching hierarchy. They have to carry it out as per the requirement.  Some other reports suggest that the teacher’s transfer has been stalled for now !!!

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

21^st June 2018.