Mangaluru: Students, parents, SDMC members and villagers staged a flash protest in front of the government-upgraded higher primary school in Nerla, Ichlampady in Kadaba taluk, about 60 kms from here on Wednesday morning, over the transfer of two teachers. The government had decided to transfer ‘excess teachers from government schools that do not have enough admissions.

However, the counselling of these ‘excess teachers’ for transfer, scheduled for Tuesday, has been cancelled due to technical issues. It has been postponed to a later date.
The protesting students, parents, SDMC members and villagers alleged that the government announced that it would improve government schools while reality, there is none. The situation is similar at Nerla school, where there are insufficient facilities and students from low-income families are unable to receive quality education. Despite these lacunae, now the government is planning to transfer two teachers from this school. If the process is not stopped, the protest will be shifted to the deputy commissioner’s office in Mangaluru, they said.

One of the parents addressing the crowd demanded that more facilities be given to the government school. “None of the government officials send their wards to government schools. At least provide good facilities to these schools,” she requested.

Villagers and parents expressed concern about the school’s closure if adequate facilities and teachers were not provided. ``Korameru school in Inchlampady was closed a few years ago due to no admissions. This school (Nerla school) will meet the same fate if teachers are transferred to other schools, forcing students to look for other schools nearby. “We do not want that to happen and urge that no teachers be transferred,” the villagers requested.

Meanwhile, children also requested that the government depute a physical education teacher. The school was closed for a day due to the protest.

Lokesh SR, block education officer, Puttur told TOI that the school has a total of 87 students with six permanent teachers. The government wanted to transfer two ‘excess’ teachers to other schools and appoint an additional science teacher to the Nerla school. “The counselling process has been halted for the time being,” he said.