Teachers-hold agitation before Orissa Assembly

Bhubaneswar, Nov 19 (UNI) Teachers of schools and colleges, under the banner of various organisation, staged a demonstration demanding fulfillment of their long standing demand before the State Assembly, on the opening day of the winter session.

The teachers of All Orissa un-aided colleges and employees co-ordination committee, who, were on hunger strike for the last two days, rejected the decision of the cabinet subcommittee on education to give block grant to 370 colleges and abolish the 1994 grant-in-aid policy.

They instead demanded a parity in giving grant in aid to all the 630 un-aided colleges from 1990. Convener Golak threatened to continue the agitation till their demand was met.

The All Orissa Non Government College teachers and Employees Co-ordination Committee demanding grant in aid to 223 colleges across the state, decided to be on the street till the government conceded their demand.

The teachers agitating for the past 22 years in support of their demand, said they would rather prefer to die on the street.

The Aided 39(plus two) college employees association also resorted to agitation and sat before the state assembly protesting the apathetic attitude of the state government towards no-release of grant aid to the colleges.

The GIA deprived teachers and employees Association went on hunger strike unto death protesting against what they called the discriminatory policy of the Higher Education department. The Association demanded validation of services of the lecturers appointed on combined workload as per the Validation Act 1988.

Similarly, the 13 leftout High Schools Teachers Association also staged demonstration before the assembly demanding notification for take over by the government.

Besides, the teachers' bodies,the Orissa Panchayat Samittee Parishad also sat on dharna in support of their seven point charter demand.

UNI