Talks with Chief Minister Harish Rawat and officers failing to yield any result, the association of lecturers and lecturer teachers (lT) of Government schools has decided to continue their strike.
A delegation of the Rajkeeya Shikshak Sangh (RSS), the organisation of lecturers and lTs met Rawat at the State Secretariat on Monday late evening but the meeting failed.
On Tuesday fresh effort to break the deadlock was initiated by the Government when the Additional Chief Secretary Dr Ranvir Singh invited the teachers for talks.
This meeting too failed as the leaders of the teachers stuck to their demand for release of Government Order (GO). The general secretary of RSS, Sohan Singh Majila told ‘The Pioneer’ that the strike would continue.
A large numbers of teachers were present at the agitation site in education directorate on Tuesday where the president of the organization Ram Singh is sitting on an indefinite hunger strike along with some other members of the organisation. The teachers appeared in a mood of confrontation.
“We are now determined to take our agitation to a logical end. The CM and education minister are sympathetic to our demands but bureaucrats are putting obstacles in the path of a solution,’’ said one of a teachers.
The strike of the teachers have affected studies in the 2300 inter colleges and high schools of state.
The teachers are demanding provision of three days earned leave, increase in grade pays, assured career progression, regular annual transfers, a transparent transfer act and payment of travel allowance in accordance with the geographical condition of the state.
The organisation is also demanding that the selected candidates of BRP and CRP examinations should be appointed without any further delay.
Concerned citizens however believe that the government should take punitive action against the striking teachers.
“The strike is against the proviosion of Right to Education (RTE) act and service conduct rules of the employees. The teachers should understand that the future of lakhs of students is attached with them. Further the assembly elections are also due early next year which means that very less time is available for studies in this academic session,’’ said Manish Rawat, a resident of Nehru Colony.