Regularization of contractual and state pool teachers; Teachers’ body seeks CM’s intervention

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The All Assam Primary TET Qualified Teachers' Association (AAPTQA) has alleged that the State Government is driving a wedge among the contractual and state pool teachers by adopting a discriminatory approach in regularising their jobs by taking Gunotsav as the yardstick.

On May 11, the Samagra Siksha Assam (SSA) asked its district mission coordinators to send the lists of contractual teachers and state pool teachers who were working consecutively in A+ grade schools during the Gunotsav in 2022 and 2023 by May 30.

The directive came on the heels of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's announcement that contractual and state pool teachers working in schools ranked A+ in two gunatsavs in a row.

SSA Mission Director Dr. Om Prakash also asked the district mission coordinators to verify the names of the teachers and whether they were working in these schools with A+ grades at the time of Gunotsav 2022 and Gunotsav 2023. After verification, these have to be sent to the authorities concerned by May 30.

Talking to the media today, AAPTQA president Trailokya Deka said, "We did oppose the Cabinet decision to regularize the services of contractual and state pool teachers whose schools would be ranked A+ for two consecutive years. We made it clear that the performance of schools in Gunotsav cannot be the yardstick for regularizing the services of contractual and state pool teachers. We did submit a memorandum to the Education Minister to reconsider the decision to regularize the services of teachers based on the outcome of their schools in Gunotsav. However, our appeal to the Education Minister fell on deaf ears. The department is now going ahead with the cabinet decision without taking our views into account. Instead of creating a healthy environment in the primary schools, the State Government is out to create pressure on the teachers."

Deka said, "The BJP came to power at Dispur with the promise in the run-up to the last Assembly election in 2021 that it would regularize the services of contractual and state pool teachers. We demand the government regularize the services of contractual and state pool teachers with salary protection and without any preconditions. The problem of contractual and state pool teachers is not a problem of elementary education in the state alone. It is a problem of social life in Assam as well. This augurs well for the State Government to treat all teachers equally while solving their problems. When the government takes unilateral decisions and imposes them on the teachers, the latter take to agitation. The government is responsible for such situations that affect education."

All district committees of AAPTQA have sent letters to the Chief Minister expressing their dissatisfaction at the, as they say, discriminatory approach adopted by the government in regularizing the posts of primary teachers. They have also sought the intervention of the Chief Minister in the matter.

Also Read: All Assam Primary TET Qualified Teachers’ Association (AAPTQTA) demand release of salaries

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