450 teachers have accepted offer, says govt

Tribune News Service

Patiala, October 16

The Education Department has claimed that 450 teachers have accepted Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s offer of regularisation of services at Rs 15,300 per month on probation for three years.

Confirming the development, Krishan Kumar, Secretary, Education, said, “We are expecting that more teachers will do the needful.”

On October 9, the department had opened an online portal for 15 days, wherein teachers were asked to continue as per the present set-up or opt for regularisation of services at a salary of Rs 15,300.

The services of teachers who accept the offer within this period will be regularised with effect from April 1. The protesting teachers, however, said they would not accept the proposal at any cost.

Davinder Punia, convener of the Sanjha Adhyapak Morcha, said, “Most of the teachers support our demands. Earlier, the government had made false claims by saying that 94 per cent of the teachers are ready to join. The protest will continue, come what may.”

Sukhdev Singh, a teacher posted at Government High School, Sangrur, said, “I was recruited under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in 2011. I have accepted the offer. It was a tough decision, but I will manage.”