A workshop on the proposed new education policy was held jointly by the All India Federation of University & College Teachers’ Organisation (AIFUCTO) and the All Odisha Teachers' Federation Organisation (AOTFO) here on Sunday with participation of teachers from eastern States of Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Manipur, Jharkhand and Odisha.
The meeting was presided over by AIFUCTO vice-president Manas Behera. Veteran educationist Mohammad Fakiruddin inaugurated the workshop and noted educationist Prof Amiya Mohanty placed the base paper.
AIFUCTO general secretary Prof Arun Kumar warned of the dangers in the proposed new education policy by the Central Government. Prof Ashok Barman, AIFUCTO ex-general secretary, called upon the people to save the public-funded education system in the country because all have a stake in it to protect the democratic secular fabric of the country.
Representing the Government college teachers, Abhisek Upadhyay demanded that in view of the bifurcation of +2 and +3, all existing Junior lecturers be absorbed in college branch in the UGC scale of pay. He also demanded rectification in the anomaly in the pay of Junior lecturers and counting of past services of lecturers in college branch.
The workshop opposed the over-centralising features in the new education policy like All India Education Cadre that would affect the freedoms of the States. The speakers requested the State Governments to oppose them. New API Scores, 2009 PhD Rules, CBCS system, incentive to foreign universities, growing ad-hocism in teacher appointment, low GER in backward areas and among the backward sections of the society and attempt to dismantle UGC and privatisation of higher education need to be resisted in the interest of inclusiveness in higher education.
Regarding problems in higher education in Odisha, the leaders demanded promotion to State scale teachers, counting of past services, linkage of junior lecturers to UGC scales of pay, removal of anomalies of the 6th Pay Commission in the scales of pay of Junior lecturers and lecturers, abolition of Block Grant system, pay to demonstrators and librarians as per UGC norms and settlement of the problems of the retired teachers.
leaders like Brajendra Prasad Singh from Bihar, Bijay Piyush from Jharkhand, Binayak Bhattacharya and Sadanand Bhattacharya from West Bengal, Abhisek Upadhyay, Rabi Ray, Ajay Samal, Amulya Panda, Duryodhan Parida, Akhaya Mohapatra, Umakanta Patra, Sunil Jena, Bamamali Barik and Sunil Rath from Odisha participated in the discussions.
Prof Kumar called upon the teachers to join the ‘March to Parliament’ on August 5 on the above demands. He requested the new MHRD Minister to give teacher-friendly 7th UGC pay scales so that the teaching profession will be attractive to retain the best talents which will be helpful in the inclusive development of the society. He also requested the Odisha Government to sort out the problems of the teachers at the earliest. Nikunja Mohanty offered a vote of thanks.