HC questions urgency over need to appoint temporary teachers

MADURAI: The Madurai bench of Madras High Court on Tuesday questioned the urgency over the need to appoint temporary teachers in government schools.

The court last week granted an interim stay on the notification issued by the state government regarding the appointment of temporary teachers.

The TET Passed Candidates Welfare Association member Sheela Premkumari, who cleared the Teacher Eligibility Test, filed a petition earlier stating that several teachers, who had passed the TET in Tamil Nadu in 2013 were not selected for the job due to the weightage system.

The commissioner of school education issued an order on June 23 permitting the chief educational officers of all districts to fill up posts for Secondary Grade teachers, BT Assistants and Postgraduate teachers on a temporary basis. Further, there were no proper instructions regarding the selection of temporary teachers.

It would certainly pave the way for many unqualified persons to be appointed as temporary teachers. Taking these into consideration, the petitioner sought the court to cancel the order.

Additional Advocate General Veera Kathiravan argued in the court to vacate the stay. Justice MS Ramesh asked why not teachers be appointed on a permanent basis and adjourned the hearing to July 8.