Unemployed TGTs threaten self immolation

Kangra, Jul 2 (UNI) Unemployed Trained Graduate Teachers (TGTs) today threatened self immolation if the state government failed to fill 4,000 vacant posts on batchwise basis and through an entrance test conducted by the State public service commission.

ђThe state government had been adopting double standards and is misleading the unemployed youths for its political ends, president of the state Unemployed TGTs union, Sushil Kaushal, said at press conference here.

He said if the government failed to fill these vacancies, the TGTs were left with no option but take recourse to direct action and self immolation could just be one of them.

Over 40,000 unemployed trained graduate teachers were waiting for their adjustments in the education department and constitution of the Elementary Directorate of Education was their only ray of hope, as the services of the TGTs would be required for teaching the primary classes, he said.

Criticising the state government for its failure to implement free elementary education in the state, he said on paper, this had been implemented from April 1 this year, but there was nothing on the ground.

ђQuality education under Elementary System of education is a boon but due to the wrong policies of the the Virbhadra Singh Government, this system is not being implemented in right perspective.

Mr Kaushal said there were 33 B.Ed colleges in the state were training about 3,300 teachers, which were being added to the 40,000 already unemployed TGTs, noting that the situation had reached alarming proportions.

Accusing the state government of failing to fulfill its promise of appointing 800 TGTs in various schools of the state, he said that the chief minister had made this announcement during every assembly session, but very little had been done on this count.

He alleged that 2,200 para teachers appointed on three-year contract basis against TGT posts were continuing to work even after the completion of their tenure.

Assuring the state government that they were willing to serve in tribal and hard areas, he said names of people who refuse to there should be struck off the seniority list.

UNI XC AS DP VD BST1647