For last two weeks, 36 teachers have been going to school only to mark their attendance and spend the day in empty classrooms. The teachers had chosen transfer postings to five government schools where construction has not been fully completed and no students have been admitted.
The names of these schools were put up on the website of the Directorate of Education (DoE), based on which the teachers applied for transfers. Radhe Shyam Maurya, a political science teacher who is visually impaired, opted for a posting at the Government Co-ed Sarvodaya Vidyalaya in Rohini’s Sector 17. He was earlier with the Senior Secondary Girls School, Shahbad Dairy. Along with Maurya, 15 others have been posted at the school.
“It was an online transfer that took place on July 14. The website showed five schools with vacancies. Since the one in Rohini is close to my house, I opted for it. On July 17, I was relieved of my duties at my previous school. When I joined here on July 18, I learnt that there are no students and no facilities. Why did they put details of the school in the system if nothing has been completed?” he said.
According to the DoE website, the school has a vice-principal, 15 teachers and no students. At the school in Dwarka’s Sector 22, nine teachers have been posted; at Khichripur, eight teachers; at Kalkaji, two teachers; and at Madanpur Khadar Extension JJ Colony, two teachers.
Like the school in Rohini, the DoE website shows that these schools have zero students and no facilities. However, a Delhi government official said teachers need not worry as students from other schools will be transferred here in a few weeks. “Due to last-minute work by the PWD, this (infrastructure work) has been delayed but the government has a plan,” said Atishi Marlena, advisor to Education Minister Manish Sisodia.
If schools cannot function due to administrative reasons, teachers will be “transferred out”, said officials. Some postings have already been “rectified”, sources said. Subedar Yadav, who had been posted at Rohini from a school in Shalimar Bagh, has now been posted to Punjabi Bagh. “I have been posted to a school far from home,” said Yadav, who teaches economics.
