Notwithstanding rounds of parleys with Government officials, HRD Minister Neera Yadav and the Government’s agreement on raising their salaries and other demands, the para teachers on their sixth consecutive day ended their ‘Ghera Daalo Dera daalo’ protest at Morhabadi in Ranchi announcing to go on strike from Friday.
“Even after the assurances given by the Government on Wednesday night, they did not give us anything in writing. In spite of our repeated requests on Thursday, they did not care to given us anything in writing. Hence, we have decided to go on Statewide strike from Friday stalling education in schools completely,” said para teacher Bajrang Singh heading a faction of the ad-hoc teachers.
Different factions agreed to the decision of going to an indefinite strike in the afternoon and about 5,000 teachers and their families stationed at the Morhabadi ground for six days returned to their villages across the State on Thursday evening.
Earlier in the day, HRD Minister Neera Yadav informed the State Assembly members that the talks with delegations of para teachers had been successful and the Government agreed to meet several of their demands.
“The Government has agreed to 25 per cent hike in their salary with the effect from April 1, 2015. Women para teachers would get maternity leave. Para teachers would also be protected from any prejudice of the village committee and an appellate authority under District Programme Officer would look into the complaints against them before acting,” said Yadav.
The agitating teachers would also be covered under insurance schemes and Atal Pension Scheme besides being given benefits of EPFO. The Minister also appealed that the teachers should not come under any undue political influence.
The government also released a communiqué stating that in a late night meeting Human Resource Development Minister Neera Yadav and HRD Secretary Aradhna Patnaik had with the representatives of Jharkhand Pradesh Para Shikshak Mahasangh, agreement was reached on a total of eight points.
In the case of educational qualification-based honorarium, reasonable decision will be taken based on the guidelines laid down by the Government of India after proposing the matter to State Executive Committee. Annual ten per cent increment will be given to the para teachers after the proposal is approved by Centre.
Increase of 25 per cent in the existing wages of para teachers will be in retrospective effect from April 1 this year. The wages of mid-day meal cooks has been increased by five hundred rupees.
The para teachers will also be liable to get special leaves. Also, in case Village Education Committee takes a biased action against a para teacher, the District Programme Officer will act as the appellate officer.
Para teachers will be brought under the aegis of Teachers’ Welfare Fund, Atal Pension Scheme and Jan Dhan Insurance Scheme. The State Government is also thinking on joining them to the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation.
It was also decided that Mukhiya and Deputy Mukhiya will be responsible to countersign the absence return of para teachers.
On this occasion, the para teachers repeated their promise to import quality education and co-operate in verification process of their certificates, it said.