Braving the incessant rain on Wednesday, about 30,000 block grant teachers under the banner of School and College Teachers’ and Employees’ United Forum held a demonstration and observed the Teachers’ Day as “Black Day” at the Lower PMG here on Wednesday protesting the Government apathy.
The Block Grant (BG) teachers and employees chanted slogans against the anti-teacher policy of the State Government. Though their demonstration reached the 21st day, the protest on the Teachers’ Day was to highlight how the State Government was long apathetic to the job security of thousands of teachers, many of whom are on the verge of retirement without benefits of a regular job and pension.
Teacher leader Pabitra Mahala claimed that though they have the support of all sections of society, including the Opposition parties like Congress and BJP, the Government has been neglecting them and their genuine demands are ignored.
He warned that the protest would be further intensified after the Monsoon Session of the Assembly. “From September 6, about 4,000 schools and 1,500 colleges will be shut down. On September 6 and 7, the teachers will gherao MLAs across the State and after September 17, they
will hold rallies and demonstrations at panchayat level across the State and convince the villagers about the stand of the Government on education,” told Mahala.
Meanwhile, throwing their weight behind the Block Grant teachers, leaders from the Opposition BJP and Congress came to the rally venue and criticised the Government for its policies that have ruined the education system in the State. They also flayed the Block Grant policy under which teachers are being paid low without any service conditions and post retirement benefits. Leader of Opposition Narasingh Mishra, Tara Prasad Bahinipati from Congress and Pardip Purohit and Samir Mohanty from the BJP trained their guns at the BJD Government for reneging from commitment.
The DSO also took out a rally supporting the Block Grant teachers’ issue on the day.
Petroleum Minister, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan took potshots at the State Government, holding it responsible for the mess and the Block Grant teachers’ observing the Teachers’ day as a black day. He sought an immediate solution of the teachers’ problems. However, School and Mass Education Minister Badri Narayan Patra turned the heat at the teachers instead. He said while the State Government is considering the demands of the teachers, the demonstration was uncalled-for.
Meanwhile, the annual State and district-level programmes to felicitate teachers were postponed for an indefinite period.