Teachers in 13 districts to rally for right to family today

Hyderabad: The indecisiveness of the State government for the past six months reportedly robbing the sense of family among several teachers in the school education department.

Early on, the State government had implemented inter-district transfers of teachers turned into a major controversy with teachers' organisations demanding first to implement promotions, followed by transfers. The teachers have also asked the State government to facilitate spouse transfers.

However, the spouse transfers were implemented in the case of 16 districts, the state government remained indecisive in the case of 13 districts. Leaving about 1,430 teachers who have applied for spouse transfers to live apart for the past six months. Speaking to The Hans India, Rajani (name changed) applied for spouse transfer has this to say, "My husband works in Shamshabad. But, I was transferred to a village bordering Andhra Pradesh that falls under the Khammam district of Telangana." Though it sounds hilarious, the teachers from the 13 districts of the State who have applied for spouse transfers have now formed 'Telangana State Spouse Forum (TSSF)."

Vivek, president of the forum said, "Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao has asked to ensure that wife and husband working as teachers be transferred to the same place." However, there is no sign from the department and officials concerned taking steps to impliment the chief minister's directives," he added.

The teachers applied for spouse transfers from Siddipet, Sanga Reddy, Nizamabad, Adilabad, Macherial, Suryapet, Warangal, Hanmakonda, Ranga Reddy, Medchal, Mahabubnagar, Karimnagar and Khammam requesting the State goverment to look into their issue. Because the transfers forced either husband or wife to stay away from the family for the past six months. Further, nearly 60 to 75 per cent of the teachers waiting for spouse transfers were women, in the age group of about 30 years.

The teachers have been scratching their heads not knowing the reasons as to what is making the State government remain silent on the issue. Because according to the State government's data there are about 6,272 teacher vacancies in the 13 districts where it has to implement spouse transfers in the case of only 1,430 applicants. After petitioning, and staging dharna's, the TSSF to take out rallies for their right to family across the 13 districts on Monday.