Tamil school head’s transfer second in 2 years, says DAP man

GEORGE TOWN: A Tamil school principal who was transferred out of a school not long after a visit by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng for a cheque presentation is believed to have been transferred from another school last year due to a similar reason.

Satees Muniandy, who is a member of the Penang Special Committee on Tamil Schools Development, alleges that the same principal was transferred from SJK(T) Bukit Mertajam last year after state deputy chief minister II P Ramasamy had visited the school.

He said with principal V Tamilchelvi being transferred immediately to another school, she had effectively served three schools in a matter of 12 months.

Tamilchelvi has been transferred to SJK(T) Perai after serving less than a year at SJK(T) Mak Mandin in Butterworth, in what the education ministry said was a “normal transfer”.

In its announcement yesterday, the ministry also revealed a list of other transfers, due to the retirement of one of the Tamil school principals.

“All those teachers who were involved in the ‘normal’ transfer, were working in the same school for more than two years.

“But, the Mak Mandin Tamil School principal was in the school for about a year. What’s the necessity to transfer her out, when she was transferred to the school, just about a year ago?

“Is it usual for a teacher to be posted in three schools within the span of a year? Can Deputy Education Minister II P Kamalanathan explain that?” said Satees, who is also an exco with the Seberang Perai Municipal Council.

According to Satees, Tamilchelvi’s previous transfer followed a visit by Ramasamy to SJK(T) Bukit Mertajam, when she was the principal there.

“Ramasamy went there only to discuss about a complaint against the noise and disturbance from a construction site next door, and it was a low key event.

“In both cases, that is CM Lim’s visit to her current school and Ramasamy’s visit last year, the principal had committed no wrong. As an educator, she put the students’ well-being and interest first,” Satees said.

He added that though Tamilchelvi was not complaining about her second transfer in two calendar years, it was “obvious that she was being penalised”.

“It’s a clear case of abuse of power by the education department. And as usual Kamalanathan is there to shield the abuse of power by these little napoleons,” Satees said.

Meanwhile, Tamilchelvi told FMT she would follow any transfer order and declined to comment on claims it was politically-motivated.

“I am a civil servant and ‘saya yang menurut perintah’. I will follow all instructions from the education department. I have no further comment,” she said when contacted yesterday.

FMT has contacted Kamalanathan and is awaiting his reply. -FMT