Stalemate on between Edu Dept, teachers : The Tribune India

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regularisation row

Stalemate on between Edu Dept, teachers

JALANDHAR: Even after a month, tension between the Education Department and teachers recruited under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) as well Adarsh and model schools is yet to come to an end.

Stalemate on between Edu Dept, teachers

Teachers take out a protest march outside the residence of MLA Bawa Henry in Jalandhar. Tribune Photo



Avneet Kaur

Jalandhar, November 13

Even after a month, tension between the Education Department and teachers recruited under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) as well Adarsh and model schools is yet to come to an end.

The state government on the one hand claims to have given 1,200 appointment letters to teachers so far, on the other, the teachers are holding protests outside residences of MLAs, ministers and other Congress leaders and have accused the state government of adopting wrong tactics by giving posting of their choice to regularised teachers.

On October 4, the state government announced its decision of regularising teachers with a pay cut and since October 7, the teachers under the banner of the Sanjha Adhyapak Morcha and other unions are on a strike. They have been on a fast-unto-death for 19 days from October 7 to October 26 and held massive rallies in Patiala and other districts and even many teachers are continuing their hunger strike in Patiala.

However, Education Secretary Krishan Kumar has maintained that the government regularisation procedure goes the same way as even IAS officers work on a same pay scale when they enter into government’s contract and later, increment and other benefits were given to them.

Education Minister OP Soni during a function to give away appointment letters to 650 SSA and other societies’ teachers at the Punjab School Education Board auditorium in Mohali on November 12 has specifically mentioned that unions were using teachers for their vested interests and the state government had given both options to the teachers to either continue their services under societies or take the opportunity to regularise their services in the department.

He said newly appointed teachers would be given a choice to choose stations, along with a grade pay of Rs 5,000.

What unions have to say

The co-convener of Sanjha Adhyapak Morcha, Kuldeep Duarka, said: “The state government is violating various rules of the Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD). As per the MHRD, the teachers recruited under the policy are teachers of the state government and it was the duty of the government to provide them all benefits that other regular teachers are getting.”

He said: “The morcha had a state-level meeting with other federations and unions of the state. Though for now they have planned to gherao residences of ministers, MLAs and other leaders and hold peaceful protests, in future if their demands are not met, they will be forced to initiate other actions.”

Teachers have served legal notice on officers

Condemning the state government for adopting pressure tactics to scuttle their protest, the morcha has taken a legal route to stop the process of relocating and transfers of teachers as a tool, used by the Education Department, to harass the protesting teachers.

The protesting teachers have served a legal notice on the Education Secretary, Director General, School Education, DPI (EE), DPI (SE) and all district education officers.

The teachers said the Education Department had been posting the newly appointed teachers, who had accepted the offer of regularisation of services on a salary of Rs 15,300, at stations where the protesting teachers were already serving.

They said the state government, with this step, had been violating the MHRD law, and was discriminating between regular teachers and contractual teachers.

Held protest today

The teachers today sat on a dharna outside the residence of MLA Bawa Henry here today at Guru Gobind Stadium Gate No. 1. Ganesh Bhagat, a member of the union, said: “Despite having sat on a dharna for over three hours, the MLA did not turn up to meet the teachers.”

He said family members of Henry stated that he had gone to attend the Chhath Puja celebrations and had a busy schedule today.

The teachers said the way they were being treated by the government, it seems the democracy was under threat. Common man’s voices were being unheard.

Timeline

Oct 4: Government announces regularisation with pay cut 

Oct 7: Teachers start protest against decision

Oct 8: Government gives option to teachers   to accept regularisation or work on contract basis

Oct 9-23: Government gives 15 days to take final call

Oct 26: Teachers end their fast-unto-death

Oct 27: Teachers start hunger strike, which is still on, at Patiala

Nov 4: Teachers meet Principal Chief Secretary Suresh Kumar

Nov 5: Meeting with CM gets cancelled

Nov 7: Teachers celebrate ‘black Diwali’, protest on roads

Nov 12-13: Education Department distributes appointment letters among teachers who accepted regularisation

Nov 12-14: Protest being organised outside residences of ministers and MLAs in various districts

Nov 18: Unions have decided to hold massive protest outside residences of ministers OP Soni and Manpreet Badal.

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