Teachers protest against contractual appointments, non-academic tasks
Teachers have also pointed out issues such as delay in textbooks and uniform distribution in government-run schools, distribution of substandard uniforms.
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Teachers across the state are holding day-long protests in their respective districts, instead of reporting to respective schools on that day.Lakhs of teachers across the state, especially those teaching in government-run schools such as zilla parishad, municipal corporations among others, have taken to streets protesting various government policies such as changes in student-teacher ratio and appointment of retired or contractual teachers on vacant positions among others.
Teachers across the state are holding day-long protests in their respective districts, instead of reporting to respective schools on that day. While in most districts such protests were held on September 25, in Kolhapur it was held on September 27 whereas teachers from Pune and Sangli protested on Monday. Teachers are demanding to meet the school education minister Deepak Kesarkar.
Among many concerns raised by teachers like changes in students-teacher ratio, appointment of retired and contractual teachers on vacant posts, insistence on new midday-meal menu without adequate support for its implementation etc, teachers have taken a strong stand against the recently declared Government Resolution (GR) by the state categorising academic and non-academic tasks for teachers, which teachers complain is ambiguous in nature.
Among many concerns raised by teachers like changes in students-teacher ratio, appointment of retired and contractual teachers on vacant posts.
Stating that the entire academic calendar in government schools is hampered, a teacher and activist Bhausaheb Chaskar, said, “The GR regarding non-academic tasks imposed on teachers is ambiguous. After insisting that teachers should not be kept busy in non-academic tasks, with government initiatives such as different celebrations–cleanliness drive, reading week in schools, asking teachers to submit different types of students’ data at different intervals etc, they are kept away from the regular teaching learning process.”
Chaskar said that teachers left schools for a day and thronged streets across the state demanding time to let them teach their students. According to teachers, especially schools having single or only two teachers, it has become impossible to focus on teaching with continuous programmes and other academic projects announced by the government.
Chaskar said that teachers left schools for a day and thronged streets across the state demanding time to let them teach their students.
Senior educationist Vasant Kalpande, said, “Most of these initiatives which are termed academic are designed and declared centrally by the state. This leaves no room for teachers to design a lesson plan that may be effective for his/her students. Instead of burdening teachers with different initiatives, they should be given liberty to see how various initiatives can be integrated in regular academics.”
Educator from Ahmednagar, Kishore Darak, said, “Thousands of teachers taking it to streets against the government orders that are curtailing the fundamental Right to Education (RTE) is an unprecedented sight. Propelled by private consultants, the state’s attempt to diminish the RTE by converting schools into ‘event management centres’ is a betrayal of the most marginalised children.”
Teachers have also pointed out issues such as delay in textbooks and uniform distribution in government-run schools, distribution of substandard uniforms.
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