Bhubaneswar: With the agitating teachers gearing up to intensify their protests and threatening to shut down all block grant schools and colleges, the state government today promptly issued a caution against teachers staying absent from duties without permission.
The School and Mass Education Department (S&ME), issued a notification directing all District Education Officers (DEOs) and Block Education Officers (BEOs) to deduct salaries of teachers for the days they remain absent without permission.
“In case of contractual teachers, unauthorised absence could be treated as a reason for not renewing the annual contract due in March next year. The authorities may take action to disengage them after due procedure,” the notification read.
Notably, the agitating teachers under the Block Grant and All Odisha Primary Teachers Association staging protest since the last 22 days over their six -point charter of demands, had threatened to gherao the State Assembly today.
The charter of demands include hike in grade pay, 25 percent increment in salary of contractual teachers, abolition of ex-cadre, subject wise appointment of physical education instructors, informed sources.
Teachers under the Primary Odisha B.Ed Elementary Teachers Association, Odisha Elementary School Teachers Association, Odisha Sikshya Sahayak Association have also extended their support to the agitation.
Meanwhile, block grant teachers and lecturers have decided to observe cease-work from today. Classes at as many as 4,000 schools and 1,500 colleges will be affected with the decision.
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The S&ME Department informed that steps have already been taken for consideration of the demands and hence the agitation is 'not justified'.
"We shall be holding an inter-ministerial committee meeting today to resolve the issue," informed SME minister Badri Narayan Patra.