The agitating para-teachers remained adamant on their demands even after the ultimatum of 48 hours issued by Education Minister, Neera Yadav on December 24. The Minister has appealed to the protesting para-teachers to rejoin their duties at different districts with immediate effect as their absence in Government schools is creating several problems on the routine functioning of cradles across the State.
The para-teachers of five commissionaires who are yet again united under different umbrella organisations of Jharkhand Para-Teachers Association are now saying that they are only ready to have discussion with Chief Minister Raghubar Das led delegation.
The Education Minister who acknowledged the role of para-teachers over the years for imparting education among kids enrolled in government schools has invited the agitating para-teachers for an open dialogue following their list of demands. Yadav had stated that in case of dialogue failure, the government will be forced to take stringent action against the para-teachers.
Meanwhile, para-teachers’ representatives clarified that their intension is not to create any hindrance during the ongoing Winter Session of the State Assembly but they will remain firm on the demands. “By far, no para-teacher or any supporting organisation has approached the Education Minister or has given their consent on the State government’s proposal. We are united and none of us are going to have discussion on this issue either with the Education Minister or Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, AP Singh,” said, a para-teacher, Vinod Kumar Tiwari.
Para Teachers united oragnaisation leaders Bajrang Prasad and Sanjay Kumar Dubey said that the HRD Minister has said in the last meeting that the CM is looking after the issue. Therefore, they said that the talks should be conducted in the chairmanship of the CM. They said that positive talks should be done on the regularization and pay hike demands, else the teachers will continue their strike.
The para-teachers had launched ‘Ghera Daalo, Dhera Daalo’ programme at residences of BJP ministers, parliamentarians and legislators to push for their demand from November 25. Notably, around 67,000 para-teachers across the State are on an indefinite strike since mid-October forcing over more than 12,000 to 14,000 government schools to shut.