Teachers' unions felicitate Gujarat CM for announcing new transfer rules

NEW DELHI: Two unions representing government school teachers on Monday felicitated Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel for announcing new rules governing transfers of head teachers of primary schools who cleared HTAT (Head Teachers Aptitude Test).

The felicitation ceremony was organised in Gandhinagar by office bearers of the Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh - Gujarat (ABRSM) and Mukhya Shikshak Shaikshik Mahasangh - Gujarat.

Speaking on the occasion, Patel said teachers in the state were doing a good job and promised to address their pending issues. "Today, if a student remains absent for even a day, the teacher visits his residence to inquire about him. Overall, teachers are doing a good job and taking care of our students.

We all will work together and resolve pending issues," he said. In June this year, Patel launched the 21st edition of 'Shala Praveshotsav', a state-wide annual drive to enrol students in Class 1 from a government-run primary school in Biliamba village of tribal-dominated Dang district. Several former students of Biliamba Primary School, including MBBS doctor Anitaben Kuvar and international athlete Murali Gavit, were also present at the event, the chief minister said.

"This proved that teachers are turning remote villages into Gujarat's top villages. We all will remember the contribution of teachers in making India a developed country by 2047," he said. ABRSM-Gujarat's president, Bhikhabhai Patel, expressed hope that the state government will fulfil its promise of extending benefits of the old pension scheme (OPS) to school teachers appointed before 2005.

He also urged the state government to start the process of transfers for HTAT teachers as per the new rules announced last month. "The government has resolved almost all issues concerning teachers, and we know that the chief minister is positive about OPS to teachers recruited before 2005. There is no need for any protest now. Other states have already started implementing it, and I am sure it will be done here too," he said.