Thousands of Junior high school teachers would observe one day mass leave on November 17 in protest against the State Government’s repeated ignorance of their demands. The association of these teachers ‘The Junior High School Shikshak Sangh’ (JHSSS) has given a call to the teachers to reach Gairsain on day where the Assembly session is slated to be held.
The State president of the JHSSS, Subhash Chauhan said that the association had given many reminders and the held demonstrations in past but the Government is not heeding the genuine demands. He said that the association had left it on the department to implement three tier system in the Government schools of the State but it appears that the department is merely interested in maintaining the status quo. Chauhan said that a delegation of the association was invited for talks by the Additional Chief Secretary Dr Ranveer Singh on November 08, but the talks failed to yield any result. He said that the JHSSS has no option but to restart its agitation.
The association has given time till November 15 to the department to act on its demands failing which the teachers would observe mass leave on November 17. Chauhan said that large number of teachers would assemble in Gairsain and gherao the place where the Assembly session would be held.
The association is of the view that adoption of three tier cadre system in the schools of the State is in interest of the State as a sum of more than Rs 240 Crore would be saved every year by having this system. The JHSSS has told the department that if it is not having the gumption to implement three tier systems then it should implement the old system and cancel up-gradation of about 1,200 schools.
The contention of the association is that the up- gradation has reduced posts of junior teachers and marred chances of their promotion. The department was in favour of implementation of three tier cadre system in the system but the proposal was stonewalled by a very powerful association of primary teachers.
Meanwhile the association of primary teachers, the Prathemik Shiksak Sangh (PSS) has also threatened to hit the path of agitation as the Government has not taken any action on their demands as well.
The General Secretary of PSS, Digvijay Singh Chauhan told The Pioneer that Chief Minister Harish Rawat visited the site of mammoth demonstration of association at parade ground on September 20 and assured that the demands of the primary teachers would be accepted. He claimed that despite the assurance of CM no action was initiated by the Government.
“A special meeting of the executive committee of the association would be held in one or two days in which the future strategy of agitation would be announced.
The PSS is demanding that the upgraded primary schools should run separately and a minimum salary of Rs 17,140 should be fixed for the teachers working on grade pay of Rs 4,600. It is of the view that the primary teachers should be appointed on the posts of BRP and CRP.