E-Paper
Sacked, ‘fugitive’ teachers draw salary in Bihar govt schools
Sacked on charges of forgery, contractual teachers continue to not only teach in government schools but also draw their salary at Minapur block of Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district.
Around 80 of the 145 teachers, whose services were terminated and are absconding in police records, continue to teach in government schools and also draw their salary for the last six months in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district.
These teachers, who were taken on contract, are charged with forging documents for their job. The police registered FIRs against them last November and say they are now evading arrest.
However, principals of around 14 primary and middle schools at Minapur block, around 70 kms north of Patna, where these teachers were posted, said they were unaware of any government action against them. As such, they continue to come and teach and also draw their salaries.
On the contrary, station house officer of Minapur, Sanjay Kumar, said: “All 145-odd teachers against whom we registered FIRs are absconding and evading arrest.”
Minapur block education officer, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, on the other hand, said: “Their (teachers’) services have been terminated and heads of schools have been communicated accordingly. But, I have received information that nearly 80 teachers are still taking classes and drawing their salary. I have sought directions from the district headquarters.”
“We have not received any such communication either from the block or district level. So, we cannot prevent the teachers from taking class and drawing their salary,” said Haricharan Sahni, principal of the Khutauna middle school at Minapur.
Harbauxpur and Harka Manshahi school principals, Kameshwar Singh and Ganesh Ram, also echoed similar sentiments.
Recruitment of contractual teachers, which the Bihar government undertook in two phases in 2006-07 and 2012-is under cloud. The police have registered separate FIRs against teachers who furnished fake documents for their job.
The role of the police is also under cloud for declaring the teachers fugitive, especially when they are taking classes and drawing their salary every month.
Muzaffarpur senior superintendent of police Vivek Kumar said, “I have sought the case details. I will be able to comment once I get them.”
