Digital India, vocational teachers cry for justice in Silchar
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
SILCHAR: National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) vocational teachers after much vacillation have decided to come out in the open to express their grievances under compelling circumstances. Addressing a press meet here on Wednesday, a spokesperson of the All Assam NSQF Vocational Teachers' Association spoke about their problems related to jobs, academic and many more issues which have been adumbrated in the memorandum addressed to B. Kalyan Chakraborty, Mission Director, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, Dispur, Assam. The teaching or training given by the teachers or trainees is absolutely conventional far from any aura of digital methodology.
Initiated in 2015, NSQF in Assam has planned vocational education in various trades to open new vista of opportunities for young aspiring candidates pursuing their studies at high and higher secondary schools of Assam. With the initiation of the scheme, various high and higher secondary school teachers were recruited directly by Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan, Assam. But, from 2016, the process of recruitment including their salary and other related matters has been assigned to a private organisation.
The private companies have failed to do justice to their assigned responsibility. Delayed payment of salaries and withholding them for the last four months have frustrated the teachers. Expenses on laboratory maintenance for 2019 remain unpaid. Contractual vocational teachers/trainees have to improve the skill of the educated youths for different jobs which is the demand of the day.
The Association demands regularisation of salaries of teachers, job security, equal scale of salary to all vocational teachers, less payment of salaries, compared to other states, direct appointment by the government with incentives for guest lecture as well as industrial visit.
The National Education Policy mandates vocational education at high and higher secondary schools across the country. But, the vocational teachers or trainees today are not only neglected but also deprived of their basic facilities and virtually struggling for survival. In view of the abject failure of the private company in the efficient management of the affairs of vocational teachers, the Association demands removal of private company designated as training management partner. Joy Dey, secretary, and executive members of the Cachar based unit of the Association, Muktar Hussain Barbhuiya, Bahamil Islam Rachmin Laskar and Anoeibam Sinha who addressed the press meet sought the cooperation of the media for redressal of their grievances.