Temporary teachers’ body protests

Tribune News Service

Srinagar , March 24

Members of the ‘J&K Temporary Teachers Association-2014’ staged a protest march from Pratap Park to Press Enclave today. They demanded the continuation of their services in the Education Department.

These teachers were recruited on a temporary basis last year under the government order number 482.

Many of these contractual teachers have doctorate and MPhil degrees.

“I’m a PhD and joined as a contractual teacher last year, thinking my services may get regularised in future,” said Salim Ahmad.

Presently, the number of these contractual teachers is around 8,000 and they claim there are at least 20,000 vacancies in the Education Department and they hold the first right to get absorbed there.

“Even Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act act gives us 100 days of job guarantee in a year but we are being left in tight corners after studying for so many years,” said Kaiser Yousuf, president, Kashmir Temporary Teachers Association 2014.

The members of the association alleged that they are drawing a meagre salary of Rs 3,000 per month. Due to this, they rued, they had to take money from their family to meet their expenses.

They have appealed to Education Minister Naeem Akhter to have a sympathetic look into their case otherwise they would go on a hunger strike.