Bhubaneswar: Agitating school and college teachers on Saturday evening postponed their ongoing protest for 15 days following an assurance from the state govt that their long-pending demands would be examined and appropriate action considered. The teachers had been staging a round-the-clock dharna at Lower PMG for the past 21 days, demanding grant-in-aid or equivalent financial support, pension and other benefits, filling of vacant posts, parity in service conditions and an increase in the retirement age from 60 to 62 years.The teachers, however, warned that they would revive the agitation if the govt failed to initiate action within the next 15 days.The decision was taken at a core committee meeting of the Odisha School College Teachers’ and Employees Coordination Committee after its representatives met higher education minister Suryabanshi Suraj and law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan at Lower PMG here.Committee co-convenor Ranjan Dash said they decided to postpone the agitation after the ministers assured them that their demands would be looked into.The development coincided with Teachers’ Day and drew criticism from the opposition BJD.Suraj said the govt had, on Aug 31, received 79 reports, running to around 800 pages, from the committee constituted to examine the teachers’ issues. The govt would study the recommendations before taking a decision, he said, asking the protesters to nominate a delegation for further discussions. He described the issue as a “legacy problem” and said it would take time to resolve.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.Their major demand is grant-in-aid for 194 high schools which, according to teachers’ organisations, have been functioning for 25 to 30 years but were excluded from the related orders issued 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 colleges.Meanwhile, the BJD accused the BJP govt of neglecting the education sector. Party spokesperson and media coordinator Lenin Mohanty alleged that the teachers’ demands had remained unresolved despite assurances given by the 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 chief minister could not attend it.
