Bangalore:
It's a unique forum, with a genuine grievance that is ignored. A group of young teachers working in primary schools of the state government have come together under the banner of
Viraha Vedana Pratamika Shala Shikshakara Sangha, which could translate as 'forum of teachers suffering from separation'.
Ravish and Ramesh, the teachers who founded the forum, have been working for eight years. They have been forced to stay away from their families while discharging their duties as teachers.
DNA contacted Ramesh, who said, "The main objective of the forum is to get transfers for teachers, so that husbands and wives are not separated, in case they are both teachers. They could be working in the same taluk or district. There are many couples who have been forced to live away from each other. Our intention is to get justice for all such couples."
Ramesh said that he started the forum after repeated pleas with officials in the department of education yielded nothing.
"We keep requesting transfers each year, but to no avail. There are at least 200 couples who face separation, as both husband and wife work in the education department and are posted in different districts," he said.
Ramesh and Ravish said they would collect all the details about the couples living separately on account of their teaching work. "The next round of transfers has been scheduled for April/May 2011. We will gather all the information we need before that, so that we can make a request to the education minister. If our demands are not met, we will go on a hunger strike," Ramesh said.
He added that separation from family was a cause of mental anguish for teachers. "My wife is working in Channapatna taluk, I am working at Tiptur. We have a small child. We are forced to live away from each other, and it affects the child too," he said.
The current system of allotting a place of work of one's preference is dependent on the teacher's seniority and subject. The forum has been pleading with the department to allow teacher-couples to live together, even if it means making a departure from the criteria by which transfers are routinely made.
Teachers interested in joining the forum may call Ravish on 994122537 or Ramesh on
9341720659.
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