Vinod Tawde exhorts teachers to withdraw agitations

Education minister Vinod Tawde has exhorted teachers and schools to withdraw their agitations and return to carrying out their duties towards building the nation by attending to students. He made the plea after the announcement to sanction 20 per cent grants to permanently aided schools failed to get the agitators to call off the agitations that are going on in various parts of the state. He also chided some of the MLCs from the teachers’ constituency for creating dissent among the stake holders after the BJP government came to power. He also assured that the problems of the permanently unaided schools would be addressed soon.

After finishing his rounds of BMC schools on Wednesday, Mr Tawde minced no words in criticising political leaders who were supporting the agitating teachers and managements of permanently unaided schools.

“The issue was not raised during the 17-year tenure of the previous Congress and NCP government but the moment we came to power, the voices of dissent have started. While the previous governments did nothing about the issue, we have managed to address the problem by announcing 20 per cent grants within 17 months of being in power,” said Mr Tawde.

He further added that some of the schools that were shortlisted for the 20 per cent grants were demanding 100 per cent grants but as they had some shortcomings, they would get their demands fulfilled after addressing them. He said teachers and school managements should reopen the schools. He added that the refusal of some schools to reopen till the issue of grants was not resolved would harm the students and the MLCs supporting the agitation would be responsible for the loss of the students and not himself or the BJP government.