The Director of General Education in Kerala has requested the Advocate General's legal opinion regarding the transfer of primary head teachers. This move comes in response to an interim order issued by the Kerala Administrative Tribunal (KAT) on May 29, which has temporarily halted intra-district teacher transfers pending further orders.
The KAT's ruling mandates that inter-district transfers must occur before any intra-district transfers can be processed. However,since primary head teachers are not eligible for inter-district transfers, the Directorate is seeking guidance to avoid potential contempt of court issues while proceeding with their transfers. The Kerala Government Primary School Headmasters’ Association has also engaged with the government on this matter.
Previously,the transfer process for teachers was suspended due to Census duties, although head teachers were not assigned any responsibilities related to the Census . tribunal's recent order has added another layer of complexity to the situation. In correspondence with the Advocate General,the Directorate emphasized that primary head teachers neither had Census duties nor qualified for inter-district transfers. A circular had already been issued to facilitate the intra-district transfer of teachers,including head teachers.
With schools reopening on June 1,the presence of head teachers is crucial for the effective management of academic and administrative tasks, such as student admissions and determining staff requirements. The KAT order has disrupted the transfer and posting process, prompting the Directorate to seek clarity on whether promotion,transfer,and posting of head teachers can proceed despite ruling.
The association has argued that since teachers can still fulfill Census duties even after being transferred, tribunal's stay on transfers warrants reconsideration. They are advocating for the swift implementation of primary head teacher transfers to ensure schools operate smoothly.
