Committee to address teachers demand

BHUBANESWAR: Even as four lakh students studying in 1,983 block grant high schools continue to suffer with both the State Government and the agitating teachers sticking to their guns, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday said the process of fulfilling their just demands had already begun.“A high-power committee led by Chief Secretary Bijay Patnaik is looking into the demands of the teachers and a solution to this issue will come up very soon,” he said adding, the Government will initiate steps after the committee submits its report.The Chief Minister was speaking to mediapersons after attending the State-level teachers’ award function held at the Xavier Institute of Management here.Besides demanding abolition of block grant system and regularisation of their services, the teachers are seeking free uniforms, bicycles, textbooks, science equipment, sports materials and library books for students of 1,983 such schools.On the occasion, School and Mass Education Department Secretary Aparajita Sarangi said 47 squads had been formed to go around all the block grant schools to assess the infrastructural and other requirements of these schools and provide them the same. The block grant teachers cannot force closure of schools and stringent measures would be initiated against the erring teachers, she added. The teachers have not allowed functioning of the schools since August 1.Sarangi further said steps were being taken to improve the teacher- pupil ratio to desired level through fresh recruitments.Around 20,000 primary teachers and 3,467 secondary teachers will be engaged in the current fiscal.This apart, the Department will soon appoint regular headmasters in all the schools and services of 17,000 sikshya sahayaks will be regularised, she added.Stating that teachers play a pivotal role in personality development of the children, Pratap Jena urged the teachers to ensure allround development of their students.He added that the cases of block grant schools that have reopened after the Government’s directive on August 24 will be considered first.Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister gave away awards to 63 teachers, including 30 from primary and 33 from secondary school levels.