AWKDSU calls 24-hour bandh in Arunachal's West Kameng over absentee teachers

The All West Kameng District Students' Union (AWKDSU) has announced a 24-hour district-wide bandh from 5:00 AM on September 8 to 5:00 AM on September 9, in protest against 12 teachers who have failed to join their transferred postings in government schools across West Kameng.

The bandh call comes nearly seven weeks after the government issued a notification on July 20 transferring and posting 203 teachers across Arunachal Pradesh, of which 12 were posted in West Kameng. Despite repeated deadlines and assurances from authorities, these teachers have not reported to duty, leaving classrooms unattended and students deprived of education.

AWKDSU President Khambo Sakrinsow, briefing the media in Bomdila, said the union had initially waited 15 days for the teachers to join, before escalating the issue by meeting the Education Commissioner on August 5. A 10-day ultimatum was submitted, and the Commissioner had assured that the teachers would join by August 15. However, the deadline lapsed without any action.

The union later held a consultative meeting with the West Kameng Indigenous People Society and other community-based organizations on August 23. Following their advice, memorandums were submitted to both the Chief Minister and the Education Minister on August 26. With no response forthcoming, the union decided to enforce a complete shutdown.

Sakrinsow warned that any untoward incident during the bandh should be held against the 12 absentee teachers, saying: “If there is any untoward incident, then the 12 teachers who have refused to join their posting places must be held responsible.”

The missing teachers, posted across schools in Dirang, Singchung, Kalaktang, Thrizino, Namshu, and Shergaon, include PGTs, TGTs, and PRTs covering subjects such as Science, English, History, Geography, and Social Studies.

Supporting AWKDSU, David Jebisow, President of the All Aka (Hrusso) Students’ Union and issue Vice Chairman, criticized the defiant teachers and urged the government to terminate their services. “While the Education Minister has taken a good step in shuffling teacher postings, these teachers are acting on their own whims and fancies. They should be terminated and unemployed educated youths should be given a chance,” he said.

The bandh, the union asserted, is a democratic movement aimed at safeguarding students’ education. Commercial activities, transport, and government offices in West Kameng are expected to remain shut during the protest.