WBBSE tells DIs to submit by April 12, names of teachers absent during strike

PTI, Kolkata, Apr 11, 2023 : The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) has asked the district inspector of schools to submit the names of teaching/non-teaching staff of state-run and aided schools who were absent at workplace on March 10 during a strike called by a section of government employees.

The DIs have been asked to send the list of all such absentee teachers and non teaching staff of schools by April 12.

The WBBSE since mid March has been show-causing school teachers on the issue asking them to explain their absence on March 10, the day a joint action committee of state employees called a strike to press for DA hike, disobeying the state’s instruction to be at the workplace except for medical emergencies.

Asked if the 9 notice was part of Board’s strategy to exert pressure on the district school authorities to finish the process for identifying teaching staff, who were absent on March 10, WBBSE President Ramanuj Ganguly told PTI on Monday “the circular is instead a reminder to the DIs that the process (of identifying) should not continue indefinitely.” “Instead of giving the numbers of absentee teachers/non teaching staff in ones and twos over a staggered period of time, let the respective district inspector of schools compile the entire list within two days time and finish it off,” Ganguly added.

The WBBSE notice on Monday told the DIs to submit names of the rest of the absentee employees by 2 pm of April 12.

The WBBSE has so far issued show cause notices to over 350 teaching/non-teaching staff across districts based on the reports of DIs and heads of respective educational institutions, another WBBSE official said.

The West Bengal government had issued an order before March 10 saying that all offices including those provided with grants-in-aid by the state such as educational institutions shall remain open on March 10 and all employees will report for duty on that day and no leave will be granted for that day.

BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said the notice reflected the vindictive attitude of the Mamata Banerjee government to the agitating government employees, who include teachers, who are fighting for a just demand – to bridge the disparity in DA with central government employees.

A Trinamool Congress leader said it was an administrative decision and the party had nothing to do with the notice.