Bhubaneswar: The primary school teachers in Odisha, who had launched an indefinite cease-work agitation on September 8 to press for their various demands, today postponed their stir.

The All Odisha Primary School Teachers’ Association has decided to postpone their cease-work agitation for now, said an office-bearer of the teachers’ body.

As many as 1.3 lakh primary school teachers had launched the cease-work agitation for fulfillment of their demands including abolition of contractual appointment system, hike in grade pay and restoration of the old pension system in Odisha.

The cease-work agitation had affected teaching in as many as 54,000 primary schools across the state.

As many as 40 lakh students were facing difficulties to avail classroom teaching due to the teachers’ agitation, sources said.

The state government had earlier appealed to the teachers to withdraw their agitation. The School and Mass Education department had also directed the District Education Officers (DEOs) and Block Education Officers (BEOs) to send daily reports regarding the attendance of teachers of primary schools under their jurisdictions.