Coimbatore: Despite the government's move to sabotage the notion of the protesting teachers by announcing to hire temporary teachers, the Joint Action Council of Tamil Nadu Teachers Organisation-Government Employees Organisation (JACTO-GEO) Spokesperson, Michael Raj assured that protest will continue as announced until their 9-point demands are fulfilled.
Coimbatore: Despite the government's move to sabotage the notion of the protesting teachers by announcing to hire temporary teachers, the Joint Action Council of Tamil Nadu Teachers Organisation-Government Employees Organisation (JACTO-GEO) Spokesperson, Michael Raj assured that protest will continue as announced until their 9-point demands are fulfilled.
"Hiring temporary teachers will not hinder our protest. We will not revoke our protests until we get assurances to fulfil our pleas", he noted.
Though the government claims that the situation is well under control and that majority of schools are functioning as usual, the reality seems to be totally different.
In Coimbatore
The indefinite strike by JACTO-GEO members has paralysed functioning of many schools in the District.
According to a source from District JACTO GEO, as many as 2500 teachers in Coimbatore have extended their support to the protest which has entered the fourth day.
Premalatha, Head of the State Higher Secondary School Teacher Association and Coimbatore District Coordinator, while addressing the reporters said that new pension scheme will not help the upcoming teachers.
"While the court and the government have raised their concern over the students, its time they consider our genuine pleas and put an end to this strike. The protests will continue until our obligations are met", she affirmed.
School Education Minister
Earlier, the School Education Minister K.A. Sengottaiyan appealed the protesting teachers to withdraw the indefinite strike, as board exams have been scheduled in February. "The performance of the students will get affected due to absenteeism of teachers during such crucial period", he said.
He also urged the teachers to consider the students as their children and get back to work with immediate effect.
Demands
Earlier, the association had a seven-point charter of demands -- to repeal the new pension scheme and revert to the old one, settle a 21-month pay arrears according to the new pay commission guidelines, settle pay anomalies for secondary teachers and regularise jobs of part-time staff and teachers working at Anganwadis.
Now in addition to these, the association has included new demands put forth by Secondary Grade teachers, who teach at government elementary schools. They have raised objection to government’s decision to use “surplus” elementary school teachers at the new LKG, UKG classes that were inaugurated on January 21 across Tamil Nadu.