Several English-medium schools, including a few run by Christian missionaries, are under the government scanner following reports that they have dismissed permanent teachers on “unfair” grounds.

At least two state-aided missionary schools have retrenched teachers without informing the education department, “flouting” rules. Similar complaints have been received against some private institutions as well.

“We oppose the dismissals and will look into the complaints,” said school education minister Partha Dey.

“The state provides a considerable part of the salaries of the teachers of many missionary schools in the form of dearness allowance. The schools should inform the government before dismissing a teacher. The non-aided schools, too, should keep us informed about such extreme steps,” he added.

A teacher of an aided missionary school for girls in Bowbazar (whose DA comes from the government) has complained that she was dismissed on the grounds that the school would no longer teach commerce in the Plus-II level. The teacher taught commerce subjects from classes IX to XII, and other subjects in the lower classes.

“I was forced to sign the retrenchment letter in December, in violation of a government order,” the teacher said. The school authorities were not available for comment.

An aided missionary school for boys in central Calcutta has dismissed four teachers over the past two years. All four have alleged that they have been retrenched on “unfair” grounds.

“We have to verify whether we need to inform the government before dismissing a teacher whose DA comes from the state coffers,” said a school official.

An education department official said: “The trend of the schools retrenching permanent teachers allegedly on unfair grounds is disturbing.

Christian groups, too, are concerned with the reports. “We’ll take up the matter with the church authorities,” said Sailesh Mukhopadhyay, of the state association of Christian schools.