Class X passed appointed as ‘teacher’

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, JUN 5: If qualification is one of the requirements for a career in teaching, the managing committee of a school in South West Khasi Hills District seemed to have considered it unnecessary.

According to information received through the Right to Information Act, 2005, by the Hynñiewtrep Achik National Movement (HANM) South West Khasi Hills district, the managing committee of Mawbidong Presbyterian School has chosen to appoint a class-X passed as teacher in the upper primary section of the school.

The class-X passed teacher is also a church elder.

Addressing pressmen here, HANM-SWKHD general secretary OM Shylla said Passing K Syiemiong, a church elder, whose qualification is just matric passed was appointed as a teacher in the upper primary school.

“I had expressed my opposition about how can a class X passed be appointed as teacher to teach Khasi subject in the school for past five years yet the SMC does not want to terminate him,” he said.

Asked, he admitted that such appointment is in violation against the laid down rules for recruitment of teachers especially with regards to RTE Act and NCTE norms.

The RTI reply of the Secretary of SMC of LP and UP Mawbidong School also exposed the alleged favouritism and nepotism in the appointment of teachers.

“Most of the teachers appointed in the school established by the Presbyterian Church, are relatives of pastors, church elders and members of the school managing committee,” he said.

There are four teachers in Upper Primary section and three in Lower Primary section of the Mawbidong Presbyterian School in South West Khasi Hills District.

On the qualification of the other teachers, he said, the headteacher P Shangdiar is a graduate, H Shangdiar, who is the son of a pastor, is a post graduate, A Syiemlieh, a relative of SMC member, is a graduate and S Nongsiej, son of a church leader is XII passed.

He informed that the school is a government aided in which lower primary is under the deficit system and upper primary falls under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

“However, when I approach the SDSEO, the reply was that the office is mostly looking after government schools whereas for others, it (appointment) is based on the recommendation of the SMC,” he added.