The Hindu

• TP meeting witnesses heated discussion
• A school at Jokatte has four teachers for 242 students
• According to government norms it should have nine

Mangalore, Feb 19: T A Khadar, member of the Mangalore taluk panchayat, on Monday took objection to a move by the block education officer (BEO) to send a teacher of a high school at Jokatte village on deputation, contrary to an assurance given to the school development and management committee. The school, which has 242 students, is managed by four teachers in contrast to the government norm of at least nine teachers, the member said.

The BEO had deputed to the meeting an official from his office who did not have any information on the issue. This further infuriated Khadar.

Issue raised

Raising the issue at the general meeting of the panchayat here, Khadar told president Shriyala Hegde, “We do not want your bicycles, your midday meals; we are only asking for teachers.”

Stating that students were hit by the shortage of teachers, Mr. Khadar said the BEO, who had deputed one teacher to a school at Kenjar, wanted to send one more on deputation. “Our students will go and study in other schools. It is better that the department shuts down the school instead of making the children suffer,” he said. The issue has been brought to the notice of the Deputy Director of Public Instruction, he said.

The lackadaisical attitude of the Department of Horticulture in providing copper sulphate to arecanut growers too figured in the meeting. Prithviraj Rai, a member, said the cost involved in meeting the procedural requirements to obtain copper sulphate, including submitting a copy of “pahani”, made it an unviable proposition for farmers. He suggested that the department supply it through local cooperative societies.

Officials’ attitude

Earlier, cutting across party lines, the members expressed indignation at the attitude of officials in responding to their queries. Yashwanth Alva, a member, urged Hegde to take senior members into confidence and ensure that the officials were present at the meeting to answer their queries. “Please discuss the agenda with the members prior to the meeting,” he added.