Phulbani: A lady teacher belonging to the tribal community is now being forced to lead a life of a daily wager in the K Nuagaon block of Kandhamal district. Her predicament is a blow to not only her but to all who basically want to devote their lives to teaching. The teacher, identified as Dharitri Pradhan, was employed in various schools in the district for three years and eight months. However, her failure to attend school for a mere four days in 2014 over some health issues cost her dearly. She was not allowed to join the job again.
For the last nine years, she has been running from pillar to post to get her job back. Dharitri has met the block development and education officers and the collector a number of times to get her job back. However, she did not succeed. This prompted her to take up the job of a daily wager as she failed to get back into teaching. Dharitri of Kambanaju village of Chanchedi panchayat under K Nuangan block joined as an assistant teacher April 10, 2011 at the Garjodi New Primary School under Daringbadi block vide appointment letter (No-4095).
However, a few months later she was transferred to the Bandabaju Upper Primary School as per the direction of the Sarvasikhya project coordinator. However, more transfers were on the anvil. Dharitri was transferred to the Jugapadar Primary School on deputation. After her deputation period got over, she again joined the Bandabaju School. While she was teaching there, she fell sick for four days. She got admitted to a hospital for treatment and she has the documents to prove that. However, when she returned to the Bandabaju School, the headmaster did not allow her to join. “I have run from one office to another for the last nine years to plead my case.
However, nothing fruitful has happened. So I have taken up the job of a daily labourer,” Dharitri informed. When this correspondent pointed out to district education officer Pramod Kumar Sarangi, the plight of Dharitri, he said that the matter will be looked into. Till then there is no respite for Dharitri.