Odisha government's assurance fails to end teachers’ agitation in Capital

BHUBANESWAR: The teachers staging an agitation under the banner of Odisha Primary Teachers’ Association (under New Pension Scheme) and Odisha Sikhya Sahayak Association were on Thursday split over continuing the protest over their demands.

A delegation of the teachers met School and Mass Education Minister Badri Narayan Patra, who assured to fulfil their demands, including hike in grade pay, by November 30.“The Minister reiterated that a meeting will be held on November 13 along with a high-level meeting on November 17 to discuss our demands. He has given us a written assurance that our demands will be fulfilled by November 30. So, we are calling off the stir,” president, Odisha Primary Teachers’ Association, Rajesh Mohanty, said. “If our demands are not met by November 30, we will again protest here,” he added.

However, the teachers under the banner of Odisha Sikhya Sahayak Association continued their protest stating the Minister has not confirmed that their requests would be fulfilled.“Our three demands are, hike the grade pay from `2200 to `2800, six years contractual period in our service span and provision of benefits given to contractual teachers along with abolishing the term sahayaks,” said president of Odisha Sikshya Sahayak Association president, Malaya Jena. “The teachers under the banner of Odisha Primary Teachers’ Association are also continuing the protest,” he claimed.Patra had called upon the protesting teachers for the second time on Thursday, but the talks yielded no result.