A Week Elapses, Yet No Response From Dispur

GUWAHATI: Primary schools in Assam are in a terrible mess as the headmasters’ non-cooperation agitation in official works has completed a week. However, there has been no response from the State Education Department to the agitation as yet.

The headmasters’ non-cooperation agitation has been underway in the State since February 27. It was called by the Asom Rajyik Prathamik Shikshak Sanmilani. The Sanmilan has, however, exempted mid-day meal from the purview of the agitation four days after it began following a request from the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU).

The secretary general of the Sanmilani, Ratul Chandra Goswami, said: “A week has already elapsed. However, the State Education Department hasn’t responded to our agitation as yet. The department is mum on our demands. The State Election Department has already asked the government to convert schools into poll centres. Works towards that end have also been stalled following the non-cooperation by the headmasters.”

The cause of concern, according to Goswami, is that the department is maintaining a silence even as the AASU and the Axam Xahitya Xabha (AXX) have appealed to it to hold talks with the agitating teachers on their demands. “This is an indirect provocation to the teachers for agitations by the department,” Goswami said.

Meanwhile, the Sanmilani has extended its support to the March 7 agitation called by the TET-qualified teachers.

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