Bhubaneswar: The state govt on Saturday assured agitating school and college teachers that their long-pending demands were under scrutiny and would be considered before a final decision is taken, even as their 21-day protest coincided with Teachers’ Day and drew criticism from the opposition BJD.Higher education minister Suryabanshi Suraj and law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan met representatives of protesters at Lower PMG here and discussed their grievances. The teachers have been on a round-the-clock dharna.Suraj said the govt had received 79 reports of around 800 pages, from the committee formed to examine teachers’ issues. The govt would study the recommendations before taking a decision, he said, asking protesters to nominate a delegation to discussion with the govt.Harichandan said a decision could be taken only after examining and interpreting the committee’s findings. Acknowledging that the dispute had continued for nearly two decades, he said the BJP govt was sensitive to the teachers’ concerns and appealed to them to withdraw the agitation and return to their institutions.Odisha School College Teachers’ and Employees Coordination Committee is organising the protest. Teachers are demanding grant-in-aid or equivalent financial support, pension and retirement benefits, filling of vacant posts, parity in service conditions and increase in retirement age from 60 to 62 years.Their major demand is grant-in-aid for 194 high schools that, according to the teachers’ organisations, have been functioning for 25 to 30 years but were excluded from grant-in-aid orders in 2013 as they did not meet the eligibility criteria. They are also seeking pension and retirement benefits for employees of newly aided schools and aided colleges. Meanwhile, the BJD accused the BJP govt of neglecting the education sector. Party spokesperson and media coordinator Lenin Mohanty alleged that teachers’ demands had remained unresolved despite assurances given by BJP leaders while they were in Opposition.The BJD also criticised the last-minute cancellation of the state-level Teachers’ Day felicitation programme, questioning the govt’s decision to call it off because the CM could not attend.Mohanty further claimed that the free education scheme from KG to PG had created financial difficulties for BEd colleges that depend on student fees. He alleged that promised compensation had not reached the institutions, leaving some struggling to pay salaries and electricity bills.
