Teachers Protest On Slowdown Of RTE Implementation

The teachers of SSA (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan)-RTE recently held a candle light vigil with regard to the salary and service conditions of SSA Teachers. It was organized by the members of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Teachers Welfare Association (SSATWA) a sector-17 plaza to protest the slow implementation of SSA-RTE Act.

Teachers said "The deadline to implement various parameters of the RTE Act was nearing, the schools were still short of teachers and the teacher-pupil ratio in more than 40% of the schools was not as per the norms of the Act."

"Though the appointment procedure and work of SSA teachers was equivalent to regular teachers, but salary and service conditions were not"ruled the teachers.

The General Secretary of SSATWA, Ajay Upmanyu said "Children are suffering due to shortage of teachers, and teachers are suffering due to unequal status, poor salary structure and service conditions. Due to inequitable service conditions, more than 60% of SSA teachers had left the jobs and more are likely to follow suit stating the slow implementation of past orders of the education secretary."

"Orders to regularize SSA teachers was passed by Ministry of Human Resource Development and education secretary in march 2011, respectively", he added.

Also President of SSATWA, Arvind Rana said "On May 21, UT Administrator Shivraj Patil said the education secretary be directed to take swift action for the regularization of SSA Teachers. Registration of SSA Teachers resulted in vacant posts of teachers in schools. Students had to bear the burnt as classes were not being held regularly due to staff shortage."