Headmasters of government higher secondary schools on Sunday decided not to attend review meetings convened by Chief Educational Officers and District Educational Officers who have been promoted to the posts from high school level headmasters.
“We will attend the review meetings convened only by officials who were elevated from the higher secondary level headmasters,” T. Subramanian, State president of the Tamil Nadu Higher Secondary Headmasters’ Association, said here at the end of a day-long meeting of the general council of the association.
Elevation of high school headmasters with lesser qualification and experience to the administrative posts that provide them the power to wield authority over teachers and headmasters in higher secondary schools with a minimum qualification of post-graduation, was against the principle of natural justice.
A strange situation had been created now, said V. Radhakrishnan, State general secretary, S. Rajapandiyan, treasurer, and M. Ponmudy, organising secretary.
According to them, higher secondary headmasters affected by insensitive treatment by DEOs and CEOs with lesser-qualifications have been broaching the issue with the Department of School Education for four years in vain. Higher secondary headmasters still continued to conduct the government public examinations since March 1980, whereas those who had joined service as graduate teachers in 1986 went on to become high school HMs, DEOs and CEOs. Flouting of merit and seniority was tantamount to causing mental harassment, speakers at the meeting said.
Since the School Education Department had not responded to the pleas of higher secondary headmasters, the association appealed to the Chief Minister for a solution.
The association resolved to conduct demonstrations in all district headquarters in front of the Collectorates in the evening hours of January 30 and present memorandums to the Chief Minister through the District Collectors.
