Various teachers' associations in Bihar will launch a state-wide agitation from September 5 against different measures taken by the Bihar State Education Department. These measures include a reduction in the number of holidays for the upcoming festival season.
The department's decision to reduce the number of festival holidays from 23 to 11 from September to December, which includes three Sundays, is being met with serious protest from 15 teachers' associations, reports PTI.
The teachers are also demanding that all departmental actions, including suspension, which were taken against government teachers who opposed recent government measures, be withdrawn.
“All teachers of 75,309 government schools in the state will sport black ribbons as a mark of protest on September 5 — the Teachers' Day. They will, however, participate in all academic activities at their respective schools throughout that day," says Raju Singh, convener of the TET Primary Teachers Association.
Black ribbons, burning effigies
Apart from wearing black ribbons, the teachers also will burn effigies of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav outside block offices across Bihar on September 9, he said.
The decision on the protest was taken at a recent meeting of office bearers of 15 teachers' associations.
Keshaw Kumar, the President of the Teacher Association Bihar, says, "We (teachers) work 252 days in a year while the target set by the education department is only for 220 days. Though it is aware of it, the department reduced the number of leaves of the teachers. Those teachers who raised their voices against the department's decision were suspended or clarifications were sought from them. These are not acceptable."
The State Education Department, in a bid to ensure that primary and middle schools in the state achieve a number of maximum work days as stipulated under the Right to Education Act, recently brought out a special holiday calendar.
As per the new notification which was issued on August 29, the department reduced the number of festival holidays to 11 from September to December.
Earlier, the number of festival holidays was 23.
The notice also sought to bring uniformity across the state, though district education officers have been permitted to announce additional holidays with permission from the department.
In addition, the department also came out with a slew of stringent measures to infuse diligence among its teachers and officials and improve the academic atmosphere in government-run schools in the state.
According to the new order, the number of holidays during Durga Puja has been reduced to three days from six and a single day on Diwali, November 12.
Another holiday will be given on Chitragupta Puja on November 15 and two days for Chhtah Puja, Bihar's most popular festival, on November 19 and 20 instead of the earlier practice of nine days at a stretch.
The order has sparked off a political tussle between the Opposition BJP and the ruling Mahagathbandhan government.
