The stern stance of the Uttarakhand High Court on the strike of teachers had its effect as the Rajkeeya Shikshak Sangh (RSS), the organisation of lecturer and lecturer Teachers (lTs) of Government schools called off its strike on Sunday.
The education Minister Mantri Prasad Naithani offered fruit juice to Sundar Kunwar and Bhuwan Joshi to break their hunger strike at education directorate on Sunday afternoon.
Interestingly Naithani got emotional on the occasion and broke down while talking to the teachers. He said that teachers sitting on hunger strike are something he can not bear.
An understanding between the Government and the representatives of teachers was reached on late Saturday night in a meeting held at Bijapur guest house. The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Harish Rawat, education Minister Naithani, Additional Chief Secretary Dr Ranvir Singh and other senior officers of education department were present in the meeting. Though the final draft of the demands conceded would be released on Monday, it is learnt that the Government has decided to give benefit of three special leaves to the teachers. They were demanding three earned leaves (El).
On the demand of three per cent additional salary increase, the Government has set up a high level committee of finance, personnel and law departments which will submit its report within a time period of one month. The State Government has also agreed to open inter divisional, compulsory and request transfers and assured teachers that a cabinet proposal for it would be brought.
A fresh categorisation of schools based on their accessibility would also be made. The long standing demands of teachers to issue one time no objection certificates to the teachers of Uttar Pradesh origin and benefit of pension to some teachers who joined on the recruitment advertisement of year 2003 were also said to be accepted by the government.
The understanding between the government and teachers clearly showed that the teachers, who were stubborn on their demands since start of their strike, softened their stand in the aftermath of the HC order. Acting on a PIl the HC on Friday had asked the teachers to resume their duties immediately and ordered the government to initiate fresh recruitment if the teachers continue strike.
The general secretary of RSS, Sohan Singh Majila said that the teachers would resume their duties from Monday. He claimed that the teachers would compensate the studies affected due to the strike by taking extra classes.
The President of the association, Ram Singh Chauhan said that teachers are happy as most of their demands are accepted.