Chennai: Fearing red tape in receiving the grant-in-aid and getting sanctions for new teaching and non-teaching posts, Anglo Indian schools are demanding to restore the pre-independence era inspector of Anglo Indian schools post to supervise 42 Anglo Indian schools in the state.
While bringing a major revamp in the administration of schools in the state, the school education department has withdrawn the post of Inspector of Anglo Indian Schools (IAS) along with other posts including inspector of matriculation schools and district elementary education officers.
It also delegated the functions and powers of the inspector to the respective DEOs under whose jurisdiction the Anglo Indian school is located. “The Anglo Indian schools have a unique identity and the schools and the post of inspector have been there even before independence. By withdrawing the post, we feel that we have been drawn to the mainstream and put with others. So, we lose our identity and connection. Our schools and teachers will be suffering without proper guidance,” said G.K. Francis, correspondent, St.George's Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School, Chennai.
Currently, there are 42 Anglo Indian schools in Tamil Nadu. All administration matters of these schools including the appointment of teachers, their salary fixation and changing of fee structure, approving grant-in-aid to the schools were handled by the inspector of Anglo Indian schools.
“Already, the teachers are suffering as their fixation of pension and other benefits are not moving. We are in a real fix now. We are making an appeal to the Chief Minister to reconsider and restore the post of inspector of Anglo Indian Schools,” he urged.
As per the restructuring, a total of 62,388 schools in Tamil Nadu state have now brought under 67 District Educational Officers (DEOs). “It is not feasible to monitor 900-odd school by a single officer. The post of Inspector of Anglo-Indian Schools is mandatory under the code of regulations of our schools and the functioning of Anglo-Indian schools will come to a stand-still if the post is not restored,” said Augustine Roy Rozario, founder-president, Anglo-Indian Suburban Front.
“The inspector was exclusively looking after Anglo-Indian schools. The post has been in existence from the pre-independence era. If the grant is delayed it will directly affect the students and the functioning of our schools,” he argued.
“The Tamil Nadu government has gone against its own assurance given in the state assembly by removing the post. It also infringed into the rights and privileges guaranteed under the Constitution to the minorities especially the Anglo-Indian community which has been left untouched in other states of our country,” said Errol Heldt, president, Anglo Indian Education and Youth Welfare Front in his representation to Chief Minister Edappadi K.Palaniswami.
Apart from Tamil Nadu, there are 235 Anglo Indian schools across the country. Sources in the school education department said a decision will be taken only after receiving the report from the director of school education.
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