In a first, teachers from schools, junior and degree colleges came together on the same platform to voice their protest against the degrading state of education in the state. The teachers, in a joint meeting on Thursday, demanded that the government come out with a white paper on the status of education in the state and also accept the draft of their recommendations in place of the scrapped report. The different teachers’ organisations having the support of more than four lakh teachers in the state have said that they will hold a protest during the Winter Session in protest against the ways of education minister Vinod Tawde.
Announcing the plan of action to stem the rot that has set in the education system at various levels, the meeting convened by MLC Kapil Patil from the teachers’ constituency stressed on the need for transparency and accountability of the government since it came to power. “The education system at all levels is in tatters and we demand that the government come out with a white paper regarding the same,” said Mr Patil.
Applauding the chief minister Devendra Fadnavis for scrapping the draft recommendation of the National New Education Policy, Mr Patil said that the teachers had prepared their own set of recommendations and urged the government to accept the same in place of the scrapped one.
The meeting also dwelt on the issue of sanctioning of 100 per cent salary grant and 12 per cent non-salary grant to all unaided and aided institutions, as well as pay the arrears of teaching and non-teaching staff who have not been paid as per the scales since 2004 to 2013.
The meeting held under the aegis of Maharashtra Shikshan Hakka Kriti Samiti, which comprises representatives from Shikshak Bharati, Bombay University College and Teachers Union, ICSE School Association among others. According to the Samiti officials, nearly four lakh teachers and non-teaching staff from all over the state are part of the agitation. “All the teachers and non-teaching staff unions across Maharashtra have decided to organise a state-level agitation in Nagpur during the Winter Session of the Assembly for legitimate demands of the students, parents, teachers and institutions about right of education,” said Mr Patil.
