This is an archive article published on September 15, 2023
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Going on strike without permission ‘gross misconduct’: Odisha govt warns teachers
Stating that there should be 220 working days in an academic year, the director also warned that it will have to be compensated in the later part if the same will not be achieved during the normal working months.
The teachers, who launched the agitation under the banner of All Utkal Primary Teachers’ Federation (AUPTF) on September 8, went on mass leave from Wednesday over their demands for abolition of contractual appointment system, a hike in grade pay and restoration of the old pension scheme. The teachers also warned of intensifying their agitation if their demands were not met.
With classroom teaching in over 56,000 primary schools across Odisha coming to a standstill in the last two days, owing to mass leave by around 1.3 lakh teachers over their three-charter demand, the state government has issued a warning letter with an appeal to withdraw the strike.
A letter issued by the director of elementary education to all district and block education officers states that most of the teachers have not taken permission from competent authorities and participated in the strike, which amounts to “gross misconduct”.
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Stating that there should be 220 working days in an academic year, the director also warned that it will have to be compensated in the later part if the same will not be achieved during the normal working months.
The teachers, who launched the agitation under the banner of All Utkal Primary Teachers’ Federation (AUPTF) on September 8, went on mass leave from Wednesday over their demands for abolition of contractual appointment system, a hike in grade pay and restoration of the old pension scheme. The teachers also warned of intensifying their agitation if their demands were not met.
The letter also mentioned that a sub-committee, headed by the director, elementary education, has been formed by the state government to examine and discuss the demands in presence of the office-bearers of the teachers’ association.
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“After threadbare discussion with the office-bearers of the teachers’ association, the sub-committee will recommend its decision to the inter-ministerial committee for taking final decision on their demands,” said the official, in the letter.
The district and block education officers have been asked to apprise the matter to teachers’ association members to call off their strike and to resume duties in the interest of students, who are now “being deprived of their right to education”.
Responding to the government’s “warning letter”, a teacher said they have been raising their demands since the past one year and several memorandums have been given to the government. He said the allegation that they have not taken permission from the competent authority is “baseless”.a
The teachers, who launched the agitation under the banner of All Utkal Primary Teachers’ Federation (AUPTF) on September 8, went on mass leave from Wednesday over their demands for abolition of contractual appointment system, a hike in grade pay and restoration of the old pension scheme. The teachers also warned of intensifying their agitation if their demands were not met.
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