Protesting Ad-hoc teachers threaten to progress from pen-down to boycott classes mode

GANGTOK, 13 Nov: All Sikkim Ad-hoc Teachers, on dharna outside the district administrative centre here, have now threatened to boycott classes instead of their ongoing pen-down strike if they do not receive an immediate and positive response from the concerned department. They also plan to “intensify” the protest if they state government fails to resolve the issue immediately.
Speaking to media persons today, ASAT general secretary, Ashish Lepcha stated that the dharna has reached 23 days now but the government has not shown any interest in resolving the issue.
“Although a committee has been formed by the government to address the issue, all decisions and response from the department is being conveyed through the print media and we have not received any direct official response so far,” he said.
Mr. Lepcha informed that except one meeting with the committee there has been no further official correspondence between the committee and protesting teachers. All promises and assurances should be made officially, he demanded.
The protesting teachers further pointed out that the HRDD Minister is yet to meet them even after 23 days have passed since they launched the protest.
“Some schools have issued circulars saying ‘No Work, No Salary’. On what grounds have these circulars been issued and is it just to threaten us protesting teachers?” alleged and asked Mr. Lepcha. The department is also threatening to send substitute teachers to schools instead of solving the problem at hand, he claimed further adding that this only goes to show that the government is not in favor of resolving the issue.
The protesting teachers further alleged that the department only wants to prolong the issue till the end of the academic session. On this, they stated that the protest will continue even after the end of this year’s academic session.
It may be recalled that on 07 November, the HRDD in a press statement had said that the demand of ad-hoc teachers that the yearly appointment system be removed “is being considered by the government for implementation and is already in process”. The department had further said that the possibility of allowing ad-hoc teachers who do not possess the required qualifications as per the RTE Act 2009 to conditionally appear for the Teacher Eligibility Test “is being explored”. Regarding the demand for regularization, HRDD had said that it “is to be seen in the light of the provisions of law relating to this”.