BHUBANESWAR: Primary teachers, who have been sitting on strike at Mahatma Gandhi Marg in front of the State Assembly since the last three days, for pay hike and regular service benefits, on Sunday announced to continue their protest till the government gives them a written assurance on fulfilling their demands.
The Prathamika Shikshyak Mahasangha convenor Ramlal Patel said an 11-member delegation of teachers had met School and Mass Education minister Nityananda Gond, secretary N Thirumala Naik and other officials and lawmakers over their demands. “The minister and officials have assured us that our demands will be fulfilled. However, we want a written assurance in this regard as such promises had also been made at least thrice in the past including in 2021 and 2023 but was never fulfilled,” Patel informed.
As part of their protest, thousands of teachers continued their protest on the Mahatma Gandhi Marg demanding upgradation of teacher posts to level-2 and provision of salary at Rs 35,400 with Rs 4,200 grade pay, and grant of regular service benefits along with notional increments to all teachers of NPS category who have been serving since 2001.
The teachers have claimed that at least 22 states in India have already started paying primary teachers salaries starting from Rs 35,400 or above with a grade pay of Rs 4,200 while Odisha remains at the bottom with just Rs 2,200 as grade pay. They are also seeking consideration of their six years of contractual period in the regular service. The protest has affected teaching in nearly 20,000 primary schools across Odisha, while schools with one teacher being the most affected.
Minister Gond had earlier appealed the teachers to withdraw their stir while assuring that the government has already announced formation of a committee to look into their grievances and take expeditious action.
Meanwhile, the Opposition Congress and BJD targeted Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi for being insensitive towards the teachers’ plight as they have been spending sleepless nights under the open sky. Leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) Ramachandra Kadam said a delegation from the SME department should have been sent to the dharna site for a discussion and to persuade them to withdraw their agitation. He urged the CM to intervene into the matter to persuade the teachers to end their agitation.
The BJD also criticised the government stating that the CM had committed to the teachers that he will fulfil their demands. BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said he should now stand by his words. “It is heartbreaking to see our teachers out on the streets of the capital on a cold winter night. The BJP might talk big, but it has failed to keep its promises,” he alleged.
