Teachers to seek more for education in budget

University, college and school teachers got together for a convention on Saturday to discuss various issues plaguing the education system from the kindergarten to post-graduate level. The speakers stressed on the need to provide free and aided education to all students as well as discussing issues affecting teachers. The outcome of the convention will be forwarded to the education minister who is expected to speak on the state of school and higher education on Monday.

A spokesperson for the convention said the participants included teachers from schools and colleges that owed affiliation to the Bombay University and College Teachers’ Union (BUCTU) as well as Shikshak Bharati. “The convention is titled ‘Defense of Public Funded Education from K.G. to P.G.’ wherein the issues affecting students and teachers were taken up,” said the spokesperson.

The issues revolved around ensuring free and aided education for all by increasing the budgetary allocation and to put a stop to corporatisation of education. The convention also dwelt on regular payment of SC/ST students’ scholarships and proposed starting of scholarships for children of marginal farmers, daily-wage workers and marginalised communities. The issues pertaining to teachers that came up for discussion included appointing qualified separate teachers for separate subjects by scrapping the August 28, 2015 and October 7 government resolutions that recommended otherwise.

The list of 15 issues also included a demand for equal pay for equal work and equal payment to regular and contract teachers, protecting minority rights in education, accepting Chiplunkar Committee recommendations, extending Savitribai Phule-Fatima Shaikh cashless health scheme to all and raising attendance allowance for girl students in rural areas from Rs 1 to Rs 5 per day. The outcome of another discussion was the suggestion to scrap Maharashtra Public Universities Bill 2015 and continue the MU ACT 1994.

The speakers included MLC Kapil Patil, Dr Tapati Mukhopadhyay, president, MFUCTO, P.M. Raut, president, managements mahamandal, Dr K. K. Theckedath, co-convener, co-ordination Committee of Teachers’ Organisations (CCTOB) among others.