Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri’s plan to conduct a test for high school teachers as a step towards improving SSLC results has not impressed Minister for Primary and Secondary Education N. Mahesh.
The Minister, in his response to a calling attention motion moved by Marithibbe Gowda in the Legislative Council, said the move was not approved by the Education Department. He said the DC would be directed not to go ahead with it.
Ms. Sindhuri, who held a meeting on June 28 with officials of the department on improving SSLC results, had announced that she would conduct a test for 830 teachers of science, mathematics and social science to prepare them for the revised syllabus. She had fixed July 28 as the date for the test and said those who failed would have to face another test.
The Deputy Commissioner’s decision attracted the wrath of teachers. The High School Assistant Teachers’ Association had said teachers in the district had worked hard to improve the SSLC results and Hassan’s ranking had jumped from 31 in 2017 to seven in 2018. Office-bearers of the association said they were expecting an appreciation from the administration instead of a test. According to them, conducting a test would be like doubting the efficiency of teachers.
Mr. Gowda, who raised the issue in the Council, said the department has been conducting training programmes for teachers regularly, but conducting a test for teachers in Hassan by ignoring the rules of the department was unacceptable.
When The Hindu contacted Ms. Sindhuri on Friday, the officer said she had not received any direction to cancel the test. She said was not aware of the Minister’s statement on the issue.
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