The Director of General Education has sought the opinion of the Advocate General in connection with the transfer of primary head teachers in the State. This follows an interim order of the Kerala Administrative Tribunal (KAT) on May 29 staying intra-district transfers of teachers until further orders, on a clutch of petitions.

The Kerala Government Primary School Headmasters’ Association said the tribunal had ordered that inter-district transfer be conducted ahead of the intra-district transfers. Since inter-district transfers are not applicable to primary head teachers, the directorate is attempting to proceed with their transfers without inviting contempt of court proceedings. The association has also taken up the matter with the government.

Earlier, teacher transfer procedures had been halted due to Census duty. The association had then pointed out that head teachers were not included in Census duty. The tribunal order then came as another hurdle. The DGE, in its communication to the Advocate General, pointed out that primary head teachers had no Census duty nor were they eligible for inter-district transfer. The directorate had issued a common circular effecting intra-district transfer of teachers, including primary head teachers.

Since schools had reopened on June 1, head teachers were inevitable in each school for smooth conduct of academic and administrative functions, including student admissions and fixing staff strength. The transfer and posting of primary head teachers was affected by the KAT order, the DGE said, seeking the Advocate General’s legal opinion on whether promotion, transfer, and posting of head teachers could be affected.

Since teachers could continue Census duty even if they were transferred, a stay on transfers should be re-examined, the association said. It also demanded that primary head teacher transfers be implemented at the earliest.