Pvt school management cannot terminate non-TET teachers

A few days after the state education department announced that it would terminate the services of teachers who have failed to clear the Teacher Eligibility Test

A few days after the state education department announced that it would terminate the services of teachers who have failed to clear the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), it has now clarified that in case of private schools, only the deputy director of education will decide on terminations.

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In a circular issued on December 26, the state education department had instructed its officials to terminate the services of primary school teachers in state schools who failed to clear the TET.

In case of private schools, it was stated that the deputy director will take the decision after a hearing. However, there was no clarification on what action school management should take in case of non-TET teachers. Thus, a lot of private schools misconstrued the circular and started giving termination notices to non-TET teachers.

For clarification, the education department, in another circular issued on December 31, stated that the right to terminate services of private school teachers would rest with the deputy director.

“It has come to light that some private schools have issued termination notices to its teachers on the basis of the earlier circular. This is to clarify that schools cannot take such a decision. In case of private schools, teachers who do not comply with the TET criteria will have to appear before the deputy director for a hearing. After verifying the educational and professional qualification, the deputy director will give speaking orders of termination,” reads the circular.

Prashant Redij, spokesperson Mumbai Principal Association, said that the government should exempt teachers appointed by them in the past. “Why were such teachers appointed if they had to be eventually be terminated? he said.