Sir,
It has become a ritual for teachers in Odisha to agitate and boycott Teachers’ Day celebrations because their grievances are not addressed. And those grievances relate to non-payment of full salaries.
The Education Minister pointed to the poor educational outcomes in Government schools which in turn pushes parents to send their kids to private schools despite these schools’ hefty fees.
It is interesting to note that each time teachers go on strike, it is for their own welfare and not on account of the syllabi or the poor quality of textbooks or even to ask for a better teaching and learning materials.
If the Government is spending 95% of its budget for paying teachers’ salaries then it is right to expect better outcomes. The SSA was intended to universalise elementary education in a time-bound manner so that no child remains out of school. This is a huge challenge in Odisha though the effort is on.
K Ravi, E-237, GGP Colony, Bhubaneswar-751025, Mob: 9437616497