The agitating physical education trained unemployed youths on Monday have threatened to go on a fast unto death if their demand of employment is delayed further by the Uttarakhand Government. These youths are on a continuous sit-in at the old Raipur bus stand here since September 15, 2013, under the banner of Bachelor of Physical Education (BPEd) and Master of Physical Education (MP Ed) trained unemployed federation.
The federation is demanding that the Uttarakhand Government should create a post of physical education teacher in the primary and middle schools of the State.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) guideline says that for every 30 students, a physical education teacher should be appointed. Compulsion of Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) qualification by Human Resources Development Ministry for appointments in the primary and middle schools came as a blow to the job prospects of these youths as physical education degree holders were barred from sitting in the TET examination.
Earlier, the State Government used to appoint these degree holders in primary schools as assistant teachers like a Bachelor of Education (BEd) or a Basic Training Certificate (BTC) qualified candidate. To add to their problems, the post of physical education lecturer does not exit in Uttarakhand while other States, including neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, have this post. In the lecturer teacher (lT) grade of junior high schools where only they can be given appointment under the present policy of State Government; the education department is taking a path of outsourcing these vacancies on a ratio of one teacher to every hundred students.
Under outsourcing, the physical education teachers are given a salary of Rs 5,000 per month. The absence of these trained teachers in the Government schools of Uttarakhand is affecting the sports and physical education activities in the State. There are more than 17,500 physical education trained unemployed graduates in Uttarakhand and they are now on loggerheads with the Government for appointment to Government schools of the State.
Sunder Dhoni, the State President of the federation, told The Pioneer that they have been agitating peacefully for 136 days now and they have apprised the officials of education department, education minister and chief minister of their demand of creating posts of physical education teachers in primary and middle schools of the State. He said, "The Government has only made false promises to us. Now, we are told that the State Cabinet on January 28 would decide on the matter. If our demands are not addressed, we will have no option but to sit on a fast unto death," Dhoni said.
When contacted, State Education Minister Mantri Prasad Naithani said he had given orders to officials concerned to look into the demands of these youths and a positive decision would be taken soon.