Sarbananda Sonowal
A CORRESPONDENT
DOOMDOOMA: A delegation of the Tutor Association met Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal at his residence in Dibrugarh on Thursday and urged him to intervene in the long-pending issues faced by tutors appointed in venture educational institutions.
The delegation, led by Sadiya Tutor Association leaders Uma Deori and Umakanta Deori, apprised Sonowal of the problems and grievances of the tutors and submitted a memorandum seeking appropriate government action. Representatives from Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Lakhimpur, and Dhemaji districts were also present during the meeting.
According to the association, tutors were appointed in 2021 during Sarbananda Sonowal's tenure as chief minister on a meagre remuneration with an assurance that they would subsequently be upgraded to the status of regular teachers.
The association said that, in the presence of Sonowal, the then Education Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma had distributed appointment letters and assured the tutors that the government would upgrade them as teachers within five years.
The association further claimed that it had also been assured that if a tutor retired after rendering even a day's service or died while in service, the person or the family would be entitled to a one-time gratuity of Rs 10 lakh. However, the tutors alleged that the assurances have not been implemented even after five years. They expressed disappointment that no effective decision has so far been taken to address their demands.
During the meeting, Sonowal reportedly expressed surprise when the tutors informed him that tutors serving in Middle English Schools were receiving only Rs 12,000 per month for their teaching services. He assured the delegation that he would discuss the matter with Chief Minister Himanta Dr Biswa Sarma at the earliest.
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