Pre-University teachers in Dakshina Kannada have decided not to stay away from evaluating answer scripts of the final year Pre-University examinations.
Dakshina Kannada Pre-University College Principals Association and Dakshina Kannada Government Pre-University College Lecturers Association have opposed the call by the State Pre-University College Lecturers Association to boycott the evaluation of the answer scripts.
President of the Principals Association K.K. Upadhyaya, who is the principal of S.M. Kushe Pre-University College, told The Hindu here on Wednesday that it is not proper to threaten to boycott the evaluation at this juncture. It will bring down the image of teachers. “We cannot play with the future of students for fulfilment of our demands,” he said.
Mr. Upadhyaya said that the demands by the teachers namely reducing the pay disparity between the pre-university and degree college teachers and not to advance the commencement of the academic year are old ones.
“It should have been taken up by the State Pre-University College Lecturers Association president Thimmaiah Purle early in 2018-19. It is not proper to raise it at the time of evaluation,” he said, while stating that the teachers in the district will take up evaluation. Principals Association Secretary A. Vittala blamed Bhoje Gowda, MLC, who is elected from Teachers constituency, for being silent on the issues all these days. “Being close to Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, Mr. Bhoje Gowda should have resolved it,” he said.
Government Pre-University Lecturers Association president J.P.M. Cherian said that wage disparity still remains even as the State government has given an increment following the agitation held last year. The wages of pre-university college lecturers have increased following the recent implementation of the State Pay Commission recommendations.
Mr. Cherian said that calling for a boycott of evaluation is not the proper way to fulfil the demands. “We are against the attempt by some office-bearers of the State body to use lecturers for their political gain,” he said.