JACTTO-GEO protest loses steam, 40% teachers return to schools

Coimbatore: The indefinite strike called by the Joint Action Committee of Tamil Nadu Teachers Organization and Government Employees Organization (JACTTO-GEO) pressing nine-charter demands seems to be losing steam with around 40% schoolteachers returning to work on Tuesday. A few more are expected to report to work on Wednesday.
Chief education officer P Ayyanan told TOI that almost 1,400 of the 3,800-odd teachers reported back to work on Tuesday. “The remaining protesting teachers are expected to report to work over the next couple of days. Meanwhile, a 100 or so are on leave.”

He said 1,500 of the protesting teachers were from elementary schools. “We have given them time until today evening to rejoin work. Most of them are expected to do so. Filling elementary teachers is most critical, so we hope they will come back.” While almost 80% elementary schools in the district was affected by the protest, in the case of higher and higher secondary schools, only 30% was affected, he said.

TOI visited at least six schools in the district, of which the Corporation School Boys’ Higher Secondary School off Trichy Road continued to have 50% absenteeism among teachers on Tuesday. However, the remaining five schools, including two primary schools, had almost 95% attendance. “While around five of the 34 teachers used to participate in the strike on and off, only one attended the strike on Tuesday,” said a headmistress of a corporation middle school at Ramanathapuram.

Almost all the primary and middle schools had full attendance. “While we support the cause and movement, we have not participated in the protest so far. But if the strike continues or start again, we want to go. JACTTO-GEO members met us on Monday,” said a primary corporation school teacher.

Miacheal Raj, coordinator of JACTTO-GEO protests in the district, told TOI that almost half the protesting high and higher secondary schoolteachers have returned to work. “In the past four days, almost 60% high and higher secondary teachers were on strike with us. Now, the number has come down to 30%. However, hardly 10% elementary and middle school teachers returned to work on Tuesday morning,” he said.