The Odisha Elementary School Teachers Association (OESTA) has threatened to join the Milita BEd Shikshak Mahasangh’s massive protest from November 8 if the State Government fails to fulfil demands by November 7.
The OESTA alleged that even after completion of six years of temporary appointment the Sikhya Sahayaks are not getting the status of regular teachers. They have been deprived of their rights for the callous attitude of officers from the block level to the district level, Odisha Primary Education Programme Authority (OPPEPA) and Directorate of Primary Education officials.
Though the Mass Education Department and OPPEPA have written letters to the district level officers many times, but to no avail. The Principal Secretary had issued a direction to reguralrise SSs on completion of six years in job in 2014.
The OESTA has now requested the School and Mass Education Secretary to fulfil their demands at the earliest.
The OESTA said more than 17,000 SSs have completed six years by now.
They too alleged lack of coordination between the School and Mass Education Department and the OPPEPA. While the department says that there are nine districts left behind, the OPPEPA reports there are 17 districts left behind in the State. From this, it is clear that there is no coordination between them.
Among others, OESTA president Yudhistir Sahu, secretary general Jeet Ranjan Mahapatra, general secretary Aratbhanjan Sahu, secretary Naresh Chandra Sahu, working president Bhagirath Pradhan, Shiv Sankar Jena, Jyotimayee Agasti, Ranjan Mohanty and Santosh Behera were present.