Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (EP)

Kundapur, Dec 14: In an incident epitomising the love and respect students feel for teachers who truly nurture and educate them, students of Vaddarse Higher Primary School here on Wednesday December 13 took stopped their favourite teacher from going to another school on transfer, by blocking the car in which was about to leave.

Shalini, their teacher was selected in the government counselling held on June 8 for transfer to teaching specially-abled children. But she could not go there due to pressure from students and parents. As she received an order from the officials of the department of education insisting her to take the new posting, she obtained a letter of release from the headmistress to provide special training to specially-abled children as a resource person in language skills.

However, students who came to know that their Shalini teacher was going to leave the school decided to do something about it. Just as she was about to leave, they blocked her car, locked the school gate and protested.

"Shalini teacher teaches us well. She treats us kindly even if we fall. She teaches in such a way that we understand, therefore, we want Shalini teacher to remain here," the students said.

It was a moving scene as the children surrounded the car and pleaded with their favourite teacher not to leave them. Parents, people and SDMC members who saw the protest rushed to the school. The children who protested for nearly two hours danced and rejoiced when they received oral assurance from the BEO that her transfer would be put on hold till the end of the present academic year. Shouts of 'Shalini teacher bandru, Shalini teacher bandru' (Shalini teacher is here) resounded in the air as the children celebrated the happy news.

Did Shalini ask for transfer due to the school's headmistress?

Parents alleged that Shalini had sought for a transfer due to the neglect shown by the headmistress of the school. "Shalini has developed a good rapport with students and parents. She had helped the school by getting more than 50 children enrolled with the help of old student's association and people in general when the student strength was low. The facilities in the school increased because of that. A headmistress also was appointed. But the headmistress did not pay attention to the development of the school and neglected the children. She also misbehaves with Shalini teacher," the parents said.

Education department coordinator B A Sheshagiri Rao, ECO Manjunath Naik, BRP Nagaraj and Manjunath Holla held discussions with parents regarding the problem. They later said that the teacher would be retained in the school till the end of the academic year.

The parents who expressed dissatisfaction about the performance of the headmistress told the officials that she neglects the children. They said that though several meetings have been called regarding the attitude of the headmistress, nothing has been done so far. The officials replied that the matter was beyond their purview and suggested them to contact the district education officer.