If government colleges, despite being strongly supported not only by the government but also by local MLA and MP funds, have not done well, then the blame rests completely with the government, teachers associations say.
The government follows UGC norms to recruit teachers. But the 83 colleges with over 82,000 students continue to languish, as, until recently, administrative positions such as the post of the director and regional joint directors of college education have either remained vacant or were offered out-of-turn, with some teachers legally challenging such appointments.
“A government college principal gets only two semesters to serve in a college, and thereafter either retires or is promoted and sent elsewhere, leading to administrative discontinuity. The DCE, who is mostly a very senior government college principal, and, though assisted by a Joint Director, is tied up with administrative work and has little time to go into quality parameters,” explains M. Ravichandran, a former government college principal.
Transfer rumours
Ever since the government appointed a regular secretary there has been positive change, say government college teachers.
They want the Chief Minister to “come out with a statement that his government is committed to the far-reaching changes” that have been launched by the school and college education departments. “Only such a reassurance may ensure quality education,” says association president C. Selvaraj.
He said the teachers welcomed syllabi revision, transparent filling up of vacancies in schools and colleges, and the current discussion on reinvigorating the educational set up. The association has expressed concern over recent rumours of transfer of the secretaries of school and higher education and demanded that the officials be permitted to continue.
