With State Human Resources Development (HRD) Minister Geetashree Oraon’s written assurance to teachers of aided high schools and affiliated intermediate colleges on presenting their demands before the Cabinet by March 30, these teachers called off their one-week strike on Tuesday evening resulting a tension-free Board examination atmosphere from February 21.
Teachers of about 886 schools and colleges were on strike since February 12 regarding their demands including constituent status to permanent affiliated colleges or provision of deficit grant to staffs of these respective colleges. They also asked the State Government to make necessary amendments in the Vith Rahit Teachers Regulation 2005 and 2008. Their last demand is to provide grants to Sanskrit School and Madarsa teachers in the category of mentioned aided and inter colleges.
JAC sources expressed their satisfaction on Wednesday when these teachers resumed their job. “If they had not called off their strike, we were forced to arrange the exam centres in Middle Schools instead of High Schools. That would have been a problem. Moreover, the answer sheet checking after the exam was over would have been a trouble without the coordination of these teachers,” said a JAC official on the condition of anonymity. Notably, representatives of these teachers had met the HRD Minister and Principal Secretary K Vidya Sagar on Sunday and requested them to give a written assurance so that they can re-join their work else they would neither cooperate nor bother during the Board examination days. But, the Minister had then denied in doing so.
JAC Chairperson Anand Bhushan at a press conference on Monday had expressed his faith on these teachers saying “The concerned teachers in these people will definitely rise before the exam and they will help us.” As about 4,80, 628 students are appearing for matric exam in 895 centres. For inter exams 2,99, 329 students are appearing across 408 centres. Earlier, the respective Deputy Commissioners and District Education Officers were instructed by the state government to ensure smooth examination ambience if the strike of these teachers continue.
The matric and inter exam will conclude on March 7 and 13 respectively.