After controversy, GVEI to reinstate teachers

SRINAGAR — After a news report appeared on a leading daily about Green Valley Educational Institute (GVEI) Ellahi Bagh Srinagar terminating 20 teachers for refusing to use hack-prone app ‘ZOOM’, the school management, in an exclusive chat, said the teachers will now be reinstated.

The management, however, didn’t acknowledge the fact that the termination orders were both unjust and uncalled for.

The school has termed the orders as a mere warning and claimed that the teachers have not been forced to use the ‘unsafe’ app for e-classes. “Instead, our teachers agreed to use the app till an alternative is found,” the management claimed.

GN Var, President of the Private Schools Association (Kashmir) while talking to The Kashmir Pulse said, “Security update by Zoom and few precautions make it a safe platform now,” adding, “Government is playing with career of students by continuously suspending 4G services.”

Pertinently, the school authorities on Thursday served termination notices digitally to at least 20 teachers, mostly females, who were hired just two months back after the latter expressed their apprehension about the privacy and security issues flagged by users regarding ‘Zoom’.

“You have explicitly expressed your non availability to join e-classes which is the need of the hour…Your letter of dissent to take the e-classes is enclosed herewith…Consequent upon your dissent, which tantamount the blatant disregard and disrespect of the school rules and regulations, the Management has decided not to extend your probation…your services are dispensed off with immediate effect (sic),” read one of the orders issued to a teacher on Thursday.

The teachers had expressed their reluctance to use the app after the MHA said that Zoom meeting platform is not safe and it is not to be used for official purposes by government officials.