Govt Teachers’ Union seeks state-specific education policy

The Government Teachers’ Union (GTU) Punjab on Wednesday flagged several concerns during a meeting with Punjab Education Secretary Sonali Giri, including a demand to scrap the National Education Policy (NEP) and formulate a separate education policy tailored to the state’s geographical, cultural and social needs.

The meeting was led by the GTU state president, Sukhwinder Singh Chahal, and general secretary Gurbinder Singh Saskaur.

According to the union, several long-pending demands were discussed in detail. GTU sought early promotions across all cadres and objected to the exclusion of some head teachers, centre head teachers and senior teachers from promotion lists due to TET-related and other issues.

The department assured the union eligible cases would be reviewed and considered for promotion. Officials also informed the union another TET examination was likely to be conducted in July-August for teachers who have not yet qualified.

The union also demanded the ongoing teacher transfer process be expedited and sought relief for teachers affected by recast lists. According to GTU, the Education Secretary assured members the department would examine previous cases and explore a suitable solution.

GTU pressed for vacant teaching posts in schools to be filled on a class-wise and subject-wise basis. The department informed the union that recruitment advertisements for 1,013 lecturers, 4,000 master cadre teachers and a large number of ETT teachers would be issued soon.

Issues related to the regularisation of computer teachers, Adarsh and Meritorious School teachers, education providers, and STR/EGS volunteers were also raised.

The union said the department informed it the computer teachers’ case was pending before the Supreme Court, while other demands remain under consideration.

GTU additionally sought an end to non-academic duties assigned to teachers, counting the contractual service of 8,886 teachers for leave benefits, and granting merit-based seniority to 8,886 head teachers.

The union also raised concerns over alleged irregularities in the promotion cell and submitted a written complaint to the Education Secretary.

As the meeting could not cover all pending issues, both sides agreed to hold another round of discussions on June 23.