KalingaTV News Network
Bhubaneswar: Hundreds of teacher under the aegis of Odisha School College Teachers’ and Employees’ United Forum on Monday staged dharna in front of all the evaluation centres across the state including the Capital High School here threatening to boycott the evaluation of Matric answer papers.
The agitating teachers are protesting the alleged inordinate delay on the part of the state government in publishing a notification on withdrawal of compulsory affidavit clause to avail grant-in-aid (GIA).
The teachers’ body also requested other teachers, who are to arrive in the evaluation centres to join their duty today, to skip the evaluation process scheduled to begin tomorrow.
“Earlier we had put our stir on hold after the state government assured us that it will look into our grievances by March 9. But nothing tangible has been done yet. Therefore, we have started this agitation and have decided not to participate in evaluation of Matric answer sheet. We are also requesting the teachers who are arriving at the evaluation centres not to co-operate with the government,” said Prakash Mohanty, general secretary of Odisha Secondary School Teachers’ Association (OSSTA).
Meanwhile, School and Mass Education Minister Badri Narayan Patra requested the teachers to withdraw their dharna and co-operate in the evaluation process. If not, he said, the state government has contingency plans in place.
Board of Secondary Education (BSE) President Dr. Jahanara Begum also informed that the board will clarify its decision of taking alternative steps for the evaluation of the answer sheets by this evening, in case the teachers continue their agitation.
Notably, the teachers are protesting against the state government’s rule to make it mandatory for teachers and employees to submit an affidavit before the government declaring that they would withdraw all court cases against the government and not move court against the government in the future if they wish to avail GIA facilities.
Ms Kalinga