Delayed transfer counselling starts for teachers

Chennai: Six days after the reopening of all schools, the education department has commenced the transfer counselling process to fill vacant teacher posts.This year, teachers who have not completed one year at their respective schools can also apply for transfers via the educational management information system (EMIS) portal from Jun 15-22. An application filed by a teacher will go through two stages of verification — by the school head and the chief/district education officer level, a release from the department said.Several school heads, however, said the process began extremely late and temporary teachers hired at schools will lose their jobs. “A few days before reopening, the department asked us to fill all vacancies by hiring temporary staff through school management committees (SMC). Now, teachers who get transferred will replace the temporary staff. Ideally, the department should have conducted the counselling first and then filled the vacancies through SMC,” a headmaster said.Teachers with a 100% visual impairment, disability of 40% or above, widows/widowers, and those who have served more than five years in their schools will be prioritised. Postgraduate staff who teach biology will be given the option to select their major (zoology/botany). The process will go on till July 31.