Teachers put stir on hold, to join +2 evaluation tomorrow

Bhubaneswar: Ending a five-day impasse, the agitating teachers of 488 and 662 category non-government and aided colleges on Saturday decided to put their agitation on hold and join the evaluation of annual Plus Two evaluation from tomorrow.

The teachers’ associations took the decision after a closed-door meeting with Higher Education minister Pradip Panigrahi and Energy minister Pranab Prakash Das.

Talking to media persons after the meeting, Ajay Samal, secretary, Joint Coordination Committee of the two associations said the members of the teachers associations had a cordial and fruitful meeting with the Higher Education minister in the presence of Energy minister.

He further said the Associations will inform the media about the date of joining of the teachers in the evaluation after having a discussion in this regard with the Higher Education minister.

“Considering the request of the state government and the future of the students, we have decided to put our agitation on hold. We do not know whether the state government will reconsider its decision to withdraw the teachers of Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas and technical institutes it had engaged in evaluation as an alternative measure, but those teachers who have been given letters by the Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE) for evaluation, will join their duty from tomorrow,” Golakh Nayak, president of 662 Category College Teachers and Staff Association, told the media after the meeting.

President of 488 Category College Teachers and Staff Association, Pabitra Mahala said considering the positive outcome in the meeting, the joint coordination committee of the 488 and 662 college teachers and staffs associations had decided to put their strike on hold. “I request all the teachers who have received the letters from the CHSE through the media to join the evaluation from tomorrow,” he said.

Informing the media that the meeting with the agitating teachers’ bodies had been fruitful, the Higher Education minister said a meeting of the inter-ministerial committee, headed by the Finance minister, had been scheduled on April 24 to take a call on measures for a permanent solution to the demands of the teachers’ associations.

“As I have already told you, the state government has fulfilled most of the demands of the teachers while it has assured them to fulfill other demands within a couple of months. Regarding the two other major demands relating to promotion and abolition of block grant, it will be discussed at the inter-ministerial committee and efforts would be made to arrive at a permanent solution,” the minister said.

Notably, the joint teachers’ associations had boycotted the annual Plus Two evaluation since April 4 protesting the non-fulfillment of their demands.