Date:21/06/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/06/21/stories/2009062152760300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

240 teachers take leave ‘unofficially’

Staff Reporter

SANGAREDDY: Can you believe it? As many as 240 teachers are on long leave in Medak district for more than two months.

They submitted an official application for leave and abstained from work even without waiting for official grant of permission. There is not a single instance where the Village Education Committees headed by the Sarpanch and headmaster as the convenor have not informed the higher-ups about the prevailing conditions and long absence of teachers. “These committees shrug their responsibility in forwarding information. They fail to monitor the functioning of schools in their areas,” admitted an official of the Education department.

At least in 12 cases, notices sent to the absentee teachers returned with ‘addressee not traced’ stamped on them..

“We took up the issue very seriously. Severe action including break in service and stoppage of increments will be effected,” G. Gopal Reddy, District Education Officer, informed The Hindu. Services of some might be discontinued too, he added.