RKM acts to stop private tuition

Statesman News Service

MALDA, March 30: The secretary of the Malda Ramakrishna Mission, Swami Divyananda, has written a letter to the district inspector of schools (secondary) stating that he has asked all permanent assistant teachers at Vivekananda Vidyamandir to stop the practice of private tuition from the next session.

The district inspector of schools, Mr Chinmay Sarkar, said the letter is enough to prove that the assistant teachers of the school have continued private tuition illegally and submitted false declarations to the authorities.

“On the basis of the letter received yesterday, we can withhold the teachers’ salaries for the month of March. But we will not do so right now. As soon as the new session begins, we will seek a (fresh) declaration by the teachers (that they are not engaged in private tuition) from the secretary,” said Mr Sarkar.

“If the secretary of the Ramakrishna Mission fails to take proper steps we will stop payment of the teachers’ salaries from May 2009,” Mr Sarkar added.

Swami Divyananda had recently warned the teachers of Vivekananda Vidyamandir that he would not send their pay bill to the DI if they do not get stop their private tuition classes.

Swami Divyananda also issued a written notice to all 30 assistant teachers to stop private tuition from next month; at a meeting he told them: “This practice is unwanted and unhealthy for Ramkrishna Mission.”

It may be noted that the Malda Ramkrishna Mission authorities had asked the teachers to stop private tuition earlier. Although they submitted official declarations, most of the teachers continued the practice.

Swami Divyananda decided to seek administrative help when he found that students of various classes were leaving the Mission’s hostel.

One boarder at the hostel, a student of Class IX, disclosed that he wanted to take coaching from schoolteachers privately.

According to Swami Divyananda, students also alleged that if they did not take lessons from their class teachers privately they would never get good marks in class examinations, suggesting that teachers do not award good marks to compel students to take up private tuition.

According to him, nearly 30 students out of 71, including orphans, have already left the Mission’s hostel. Students could not go out for private tuition while continuing to stay at the hostel.

“I had to take this tough step when the teachers refused to accept my plea. Most of the teachers said that private tuition was a part of the social responsibility of teachers in the interest of students,” said Swami Divyananda.