Provincialized tutors express disappointment over CM’s ‘routine process’ remark

A CORRESPONDENT

DOOMDOOMA: Provincialized tutors across Assam were dismayed at the recent remark of Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma that the transition from tutor to teacher was a ‘routine process’ and that only those possessing BEd and TET qualifications would be eligible for appointment as teachers.

In a statement to the press, aggrieved tutors Pradip Moran of Tinsukia, Charitra Gogoi of Dibrugarh, and Atul Bora of Golaghat said that the comment came as great despair to teachers who had served for the past 30-35 years, among whom some had served without remuneration initially.

They pointed out that a large number of such teachers serving in provincialized schools were formally designated as ‘Tutors’ in 2021 and had to work on a modest pay though the fact remained that their original appointments were made decades ago by school management committees and governing bodies as per existing norms then that were duly recognized by the Education Department.

Referring to the chief minister’s observation that present norms - including the Right to Education Act, 2009, the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 and other central eligibility criteria - are now mandatory, the tutors argued that these provisions were not applicable to them as their appointments predated 2009.

They further stated that the prevailing provincialization law had provided a five-year window from the date of provincialization to acquire the required qualifications and the government’s white paper had also assured that adequate opportunities would be created for the purpose. However, the promised institutional support and facilities were not provided to them, they alleged. Instead the State Assembly recently proposed to extend the deadline to seven years.

Due to the State Government’s failure to implement effective mechanisms for qualification upgradation, many tutors had to lose the professional dignity they once enjoyed as teachers, they said, adding that several of such tutors had already retired or even passed away.

The statement also recalled that a high-level meeting held on July 17, 2022, under the chairmanship of the chief minister had discussed enabling in-service teachers to obtain required qualifications through open and distance learning modes. However, that has not been implemented even after four years. Instead, a limited number of tutors were recently promoted following a subsequent meeting held on January 23, 2022.

Terming the situation as a ‘demonetization-like shock,’ the tutors said that instead of providing adequate avenues to acquire the eligibility norms, the authorities merely extended the deadline through amendments.

They however welcomed reports that the chief minister was currently considering a wage enhancement for provincialized tutors in view of rising prices.

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