September 2, 2003

Dispute over release order to sacked Vice-Principal

"Another controversy surrounding the Molada school is about issuing a
"release' to one of the vice-principals who resigned from the school
following a dispute with the school principal and former management
committee. Even though Mr.Benjamin, the school vice-principal was
demoted for alleged involvement in anti-school activities, a board member was
very particular that he should not be given a release. However, the teacher
approached the patron who issued him a release. Since denying a
'release order' from the school would have affected his future career, the
patron considered his plea and granted the release order. Naturally, the board
members who were stubborn about not giving the release were very angry
and the topic came up for discussion in the board meetings. Thanks to the
patron's decision, the former teacher has left the country and is
getting in a leading Australian University soon.

There are other Indian schools where the School principals and
Management committee members threaten to sack teachers on the spot! One such case
is Indian School Nizwa, where the school principal is reportedly related
to another powerful principal in one of the Indian schools in the capital.
On many occasions powerful people in the school have allegedly threatened
to sack teachers and senior staff on the spot! The board member who is
responsible for the school matters is keeping mum for unknown reasons,
it is alleged. "We have told him to prevent such elements from indulging in
such activities. Yet he is silent for some reasons,' alleged sources. Such
controversies keep coming up from one Indian school or another. If the
intention of the concerned authorities is to improve the school
functioning, they need to introduce uniform rules and regulations as early as
possible.

"I have done it once, I will not hesitate to do it again," the patron
reportedly told the school board of directors. Obviously his reference
was about sacking the board members. Things should not go back to the
primitive period, when parents, media and even the patron was out of school
activities. Patron, dont repeat the first mistake that you committed by
appointing people to important positions without knowing their
antecedents and intentions. Keep away people with business and vested interests
from school activities".

Dear Sir

I just happened to see the above mentioned article in one of your web
sites{www.keralamonitor.com/schoolmulad.html}.I wish to take strong
exception to some of the information printed in your article.

1.In the first place I was never sacked from my position of Vice
Principal of the school.As a matter of fact I had put down my resignation in
protest against the Indian Ambassadors order, demoting me to the position the
Head of the Social science department from Vice Principal.

2.The release order would have hardly affected my future career since I
was migrating to an other country.I only insisted on the release order
since I felt it was my right.

I would like the necessary changes made to the article coz they are far
from truth.

Hope you would do the needful.

For any clarrifications you may e-mail me on bendu777@hotmail.com

Regards

Daniel Benjamin

KM Editor Replies

When teachers like Benjamin faced problems they approach many people including journalists to get media support. In fact a group of former management committee members of Indian school Moladha approached KM for help. He appraoched the patron and the media when he was "sacked" from the school or the management wanted him to resign. He was the target of attack for several months as he got himself entangled in the group politics. Another teacher sacked from a leading private community school approached us with folding hands for help and when she got her suspension revoked, there was a total volta face on her part. Whatever happens, we do continue to do good for the teaching community.

Editor KM