Panaji, Sep 23 (IANS): After a senior teacher refused to join duty in the remote village of Uguem in South Goa, Premanand Rekdo, a D.Ed (Diploma in Education) qualified youngster and ex-student has taken the onus of teaching in government schools students pro bono.

With Rekdo teaching in the unattended and ignored government school for four days now, local villagers have hailed this good samaritan and his story has gone viral in Goa.

The Education Department on Thursday ordered an inquiry about the teacher, who disobeyed the order to take charge of this primary school.

Primary Government School in Valkini-Uguem, having Class 1 to 4 with 18 students, was without a teacher since September 1, 2022, after the retirement of the previous teacher on August 31. However, the Parents Teacher Association requested the retired teacher to take classes as the one who was deputed to replace her did not obey the order of the Education Department and failed to join duty.

Santosh Rekdo, PTA Chairman, told IANS that on their request, the retired teacher took classes for around 16 days. Then they approached local youth Premanand Rekdo for the job.

"We took up the issue with the Education Department and today one teacher was sent to the school," Santosh Rekdo said.

Premanand Rekdo took up the task of helping the student community on request. "I took the classes for four days on request of the PTA," Premanand Rekdo, who studied in the same primary school, told.

Rekdo said that despite having a D.Ed, he is jobless and is looking for one.

Shailesh Zingade, Education Director, told IANS that an inquiry has been ordered into the case of a teacher who disobeyed the order. "Today, we had sent a teacher to that school and now in the afternoon, a fresh order has been sent to the same teacher (who disobeyed order) to join that school tomorrow," Zingade said.

Zingade said that the Education Department will recruit 142 teachers in Primary schools to fill the backlog.

Senior officer from the Education Department on condition of anonymity said that politician's interference in the area of education stops them from making certain decisions. "We have a backlog of teachers in Primary school, hence we decided to depute high school teachers in primary schools, but they hold the orders by coming with favours from politicians," he said.

"Personal Assistants of politicians call us and asks to stop the transfer orders. If everyone starts doing this then how we will run schools?" he questioned.