Odisha government to replace Sikshya Sahayak with Sikshyak

BHUBANESWAR:The State Government on Monday assured to abolish the post of ‘Sikshya Sahayak’ and replace it with ‘Sikshyak’ after a meeting with the protesting contractual teachers at Lower PMG here on Monday. The Sikshya Sahayak Association has been demanding that they be designated as teachers. The existing norm provides that appointees work as Sikshya Sahayaks for the first three years before being designated as junior teachers for next three years. School and Mass Education Minister Badri Narayan Patro held a discussion with the agitating teachers following which the decision was taken.

The protesting teachers have been seeking fulfilment of their seven-point charter of demands, including a raise in salary by 25 per cent as per 7th Pay Commission, regularising the jobs of 2011 batch applicants, death benefits, increase in grade pay from `2,200 to `2,800 and simplification of the transfer system. The Minister also assured to regularise the jobs of 2011 batch applicants. However, the Minister is stated to have told that the State Government would fund 40 per cent of the hike demanded by members of the association while the rest has to be met by the Centre. Besides raising their salary by 25 per cent, the contractual teachers have been demanding an annual increment in salaries just like their permanent teacher counterparts.