School shows the door to teacher on maternity leave

A para-teacher at a primary school in Kolkata has alleged her services at the school were terminated because she took maternity leave for two months.

A para-teacher at a primary school in Kolkata has alleged her services at the school were terminated because she took maternity leave for two months. The authorities, however, said she was removed because the school has enough teachers.

Pratima Saha joined the Pikepara Sikshayatan School in December, 2007. She went on a maternity leave in October and when she returned in November, she was told that her tenure was over.

“Considering my responsibility for the school, I took maternity leaves for only two months, even though I could have availed of four months’ leave. Now the school authorities are saying since they have enough teachers, my services are not required,” said Saha. When Saha joined the school, it had 22 students and a lone teacher. Now the school has 40 students and two more teachers have joined.

Story continues below this ad

“We are studying the matter. The school has an adequate number of teachers. We are considering options to absorb her in another school in the area,” said Shikha Roy, the District Inspector Kolkata and District Project Officer of Sarva Shikhsa Abhiyaan (SSA) in Kolkata.

Para-teachers in primary schools of Kolkata receive Rs 2,000 per month from the SSA. Nearly 1,000 para-teachers are working in 1,200 primary schools in the city.

According to the All Bengal Para-Teachers Association (ABPTA), the CITU-backed body, the school has done injustice to the teacher. “The school administration wanted to do away with the teacher because she went on leave. There have been a number of instances where para-teachers have been asked to resign without any specific reason,” said Abhijit Bhowmik, the Kolkata district secretary of the association. The ABPTA has threatened to launch a massive agitation demanding reinstatement of the teacher.

‘Bangladeshis’ and ‘ghuspaithiyas’: BJP MP Brij Lal stops five sanitation workers on road in to quiz them on video

‘Bangladeshis’, ‘ghuspaithiyas’: On camera, BJP MP quizzes 5 sanitation workers

Cities2 hr ago

BJP MP and former UP DGP Brij Lal has sparked controversy with a video accusing five sanitation workers in Lucknow's Gomti Nagar Extension of being Bangladeshi infiltrators. Lal, a former IPS officer, claims to know how terrorism works and alleges that these workers are a threat to the nation. He appeals to CM Yogi Adityanath to deport them and claims they have fake identities.

View all shorts

Live Blog

PHOTOS