With the State Government not caring two hoots about the threat of the agitating Block Grant (BG) teachers, the United Forum of School and College Teachers and Employees, whose agitation reached the 10th day on Saturday, has decided to close down their institutions from Monday.
“The forum has decided to intensify the agitation and as per the plan, about 5,000 schools and 1,500 colleges under Block Grant would be locked from Monday. The other schools and colleges, including Government institutions, would also be requested to shut down. Every day, teachers and employees of schools and colleges from at least three districts would join the strike venue. The September 5, which is the Teachers Day, would be observed as the Black Day,” revealed Prakash Mohanty of the forum.
Pabitra Mahala, another association leader, said the Government has been testing the patience of the teachers and has not shown an iota of concern for their plight even though they have been squatting on the MG Road for 10 days. He said though the Government has been keen on talks but nothing conclusive emerges as the basic demands of the association like full grant in aid (GIA) with service conditions and pensions are not met.
Meanwhile, sources said the Government agrees to hike the salary of the Block Grant teachers and employees by a few thousands while it is reluctant on the demand of pension and service conditions.
It is cited that if all the demands of the Block Grant teachers are fulfilled, it would create a huge burden on the State exchequer.
However, many teachers here said some bureaucrats are hatching a conspiracy to deprive them of their legitimate dues.
“The estimate (Rs 12,000 crore) presented to the Government is inflated, though the actual requirement is Rs 1,000 crore. This is done deliberately to scuttle the chance of reforms in the education system that has gone to dogs. Nowhere is the Block Grant system implemented in India, except in Odisha. Since the wards of the well-off do not read in the schools and colleges under Block Grant, the bureaucrats do not care if the institutions are closed or open. After all, the people in the grass roots level who are poor and unable to send their children to elite institutions are at the receiving end,” lamented a few teachers here.