For the second consecutive day on Thursday, more than 50,000 Block Grant (BG) teachers and employees belonging to the School Teachers’ Federation of Odisha (STFO) and lecturers’ Association of 662 and 448 Categories Colleges continued their demonstration at lower PMG here to press for their demands.
The agitators under the banner of the Odisha School College Teachers’ and Employees’ Joint Forum, who braved high humidity and incessant rains to hold their demonstration, said they would not budge from their place till the State Government fulfils their longstanding demands.
They have been demanding abolition of the Block Grant system, equal salary for equal work, salaries as per the 7th Pay Commission’s recommendations, provision of full grant-in-aid and Government takeover of all aided schools.
Forum leader Pabitra Mahala said for two days 50,000 teachers have been sitting on a dharna on the roads, but the Government seems unconcerned about it. If the Government does not pay heed to their demands, it would be taught a lesson during the coming general elections, he warned.
Meanwhile, members of the Odisha Shiksha Sahayaks’ Association (OSSA) on Thursday also began an indefinite hunger strike at lower PMG here protesting the Government’s decision to recruit teachers on an ad hoc basis and the delay in appointment of more than 14,000 Shiksha Sahayaks on a regular basis.
Alleging gross negligence in appointment in as many as 14,087 Shiksha Sahayaks, the OSSA demanded that the Government come out with a draft list for recruitment instead of the notification published on December 26, 2016 and begin the recruitment process.
“Even though it has been eight months since the publication of the notification, the Government is yet to take any decision,” said OSSA president MN Padmolachan Sahu.