Teachers to hit road again from December 15

BHUBANESWAR: Teachers under the Odisha Block Grant Secondary Teachers and Employees Association have decided to renew their agitation over their demands from December 15 here.The association has been demanding abolition of block grant and reinstatement of the grant-in-aid (GIA) system, payment of salary at par with the government teachers and as per the Sixth Pay Commission and extension of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) benefits to block grant high schools.The association represents around 24,000 teachers and employees of 1,983 block grant high schools of the State. In support of their demands, the teachers and other staff had earlier ceased work from August 1 affecting education of over two lakh students. The agitation was called off after 41 days reportedly after assurance by the Government to look into their demands.With the department yet to look into their demands, they have decided to stage an indefinite hunger strike at the Lower PMG Square from Thursday.Association president PK Mohapatra said till 2004, schools in the State were being governed by the GIA Act of 1969 but with the introduction of the block grant system in 1,983 schools, teachers and other staff are struggling to make ends meet.They alleged that while teachers in Government and semi-government schools were paid a salary of around Rs 15,000 a month, under the block grant system they get a meagre 4,995 for the same nature of job.School and Mass Education Minister Pratap Jena, however, told this paper on Sunday that since the SSA and RMSA are implemented by both the State and Central governments, the department has placed the same demands before the Centre. “The Centre has not yet responded,” he said.The Minister pointed out that the State Government required about Rs 400 crore if it sanctioned grant-in-aid for 26,000 teachers and employees of privately-run block-grant schools.Jena said a high-level committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary had been constituted. “The Government will take steps as per the recommendations of the high-level committee,” he said.During the teachers’ hunger strike, all the 1,983 block grant high schools will remain closed affecting nearly four lakh students.