Agitating Odisha teachers demand written assurance to end strike

Bhubaneswar: Agitating primary school teachers today decided to continue with their strike even after the Odisha government assured them to look into their demands by forming a high-powered committee.

This was informed by the delegate of the teachers’ body after holding a discussion with the School and Mass Education Minister Badri Narayan Patra.

“The Minister should give us in writing when they will fulfil our demands, or else, we will continue our agitation,” said Odisha Primary Teachers’ Association (Under New Pension Scheme) President Rajesh Mohanty.

He further informed that the Minister urged them to call-off the agitation assuring to addrees the matter within 15 days.

A day after the State government imposed restriction on teachers’ agitation warning stern action against those who join various protest rallies instead of taking classes, thousands of teachers under the banner of two teachers’ associations – Primary Teachers’ Association covered under new pension scheme (contributory pension scheme) and Odisha Siksha Sahayak Sangha today staged protest at Lower PMG demanding fulfillment of their three-charter of demands including hiking their Grade Pay from Rs 2200 to Rs. 2800.

The Minister said the teachers’ demands, especially the grade pay hike, are under active consideration of the State government.

“A high-level committee will be formed under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary and Finance, Education Department secretaries among other officers will examine and recommend to the Chief Minister,” Patra told reporters after the meeting.