Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has sent a warning to the protesting primary teachers across the State who have been protesting for fulfilment of their demands.
In a letter written to DEOs and BEOs of the State, the Director of Elementary Education has said that most agitating teachers are participating in the strike without seeking permission from their competent authorities and this is ‘gross misconduct’. He stated that as per the academic calendar, there shall be 220 working days in a year, and “if the same is achieved during the normal working months, it has to be compensated in the later”.
“It has been brought to the notice that Teachers of the Elementary cadre are staging dharnas in front of BED offices for the fulfillment of their three charter demands. It is intimated that most of the teachers have not taken any permission from their competent authorities and participated in the strike. This leads to gross misconduct,” the letter read.
“Further, you must be aware of the fact that there shall be 220 working days in an Academic year. If the same will not be achieved during the normal working months then it has to be compensated in the later part,” it added.
The letter stated that the Odisha government has constituted a sub-committee under the chairmanship of the Elementary Education Director to examine and discuss the demands in the presence of the office-bearers of the primary teachers’ association. “After threadbare discussion with the office bearers of the teachers’ association, the committee will recommend its decision to the Inter-Ministerial Committee to take a final decision on their demands,” the letter said.
“In this connection, you are requested to appraise the matter to the teacher associations at the district and block level to call off their strike and resume their duties keeping the interest of the students, who are being deprived of their right to education, in mind. This is for information and necessary action,” the letter cautioned the striking teachers.
Notably, the primary teachers under the banner of the Primary School Teachers’ Association are staging the agitation seeking fulfillment of their demands including job regularisation and pay hikes.
As per reports, the abolition of contractual appointment as has been done in the case of high school teachers is their first demand. Besides, the inclusion of ex-cadre teachers in the elementary cadre, hike of grade pay, formulation of service cadre for Art and PET teachers, filling up of vacancies and old pension system were among the major demands.
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