Teacher-Transfers sans protocol sows discontent- CTU
View(s):The Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) last week charged that National and Provincial school teachers are being transferred haphazardly, bypassing protocol set out in the National Transfer Policy (NTP), causing much discontentment among those transferred. CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin said the teachers claim that the unlawful transfers by officials victimises them, causing much hardship and inconvenience in their work life.
According to Ministry of Education (MoE) Circular No. 2007/20, the Transfer Board (TB) effects transfers of teachers as per the NTP. According to the Circular, the TB meets in May and collects details of all teachers serving more than 5 years in National and Provincial schools. By the following June and July, applications are called from teachers for transfers.
Thereafter, the TB meets in two weeks, peruses the applications and decides on those eligible for transfers. Then, from September 15-30, Letters of Transfer are posted. Appeals are entertained from October 1-15, and by November 1, Appeal Board decisions are posted. Mr Stalin said that all transfers are now being done by officials at the Zonal and Inter-Zonal levels without consideration to the NTP.
According to the NTP, there are 97 TBs in the 9 Provinces, whose members are renewed each year. But unfortunately, he said the TB has not been formed for the last 8 years. “The TB was abandoned in 2012 and since then, transfers are effected according to the whims and fancies of officials at the top,” he said.