Teachers’ community has decided to launch an agitation against the decision of the government to conduct screening test of in- service teachers.
A day after JK Rehbar- e- Taleem ( ReT) Teachers Forum called for two- day strike from August 5, Jammu Kashmir Teachers Forum ( JKTF) Tuesday announced two day strike from August 6.
The Chairman JKTF Abdul Qayoom Wani said the educational institutions in all the three regions of state would remain closed as a mark of protest against the government. The Forum has decided to stage demonstrations at district headquarters on August 7 to express their resentment against the government. “ This order won’t be accepted under any circumstances,” he asked the government not to divert the attention of the public issues and make teachers a scapegoat.
He said the government was supposed to address the serious issues of the department which would otherwise uproot the education sector. “ The government is now in the habit of disgracing the teachers and punished for none of their faults.” Given the agitation program by the both factions of teachers’ forum- JKTF and JK ReT forum, the education sector is likely to remain disturbed across state for three consecutive days from August 5 to August 7.
The state government has decided to make screening test compulsory for ReT teachers who have obtained their degrees from outside study centers or through distance mode.
Similar mechanism for in- service General Line Teachers who have obtained their degree certificates from study centers or distance mode is likely to be established in future.
“ The government move is aimed to suppress and disrespect the teachers’ community but we will fight tooth and nail against the government decision. There will be no compromise for respect and dignity of teachers,” Wani said. He said they would erect ‘black flags’ on schools on August 7 to mark their protest against the government decision.
“ We will also lock down all the educational institutions in the three regions of state and protests will be held at district headquarters as well,” he said.
The government took the decision in reference to the High Court order issued on May 14 after an ReT applicant failed to write an essay on Cow and also couldn’t solve a mathematics question of primary standard.
Pertinently, the High Court HC had observed that the study centers were providing degrees which has severally affected the education system as a whole and directed the state Government to constitute a committee to examine the issue in its totality and suggest measures.
Meanwhile, Qayoom Wani said the forum was not against the government decision to examine the degree certificates obtained from study centers and distance mode. “ If government wants to scrutinize the certificate to check if someone has obtained degree from unrecognized university, we are not against it. But conducting exams of in- service teachers who are in department from past more than ten years won’t be accepted. Question doesn’t arise that we will allow government to do so,” he said.
He said a new ‘ program’ will be announced on August 8 if the government didn’t withdraw the decision. “ We will have a meeting on August 8 and will announce agitation program for future,” he said.
The Chairman of JK ReT teachers’ forum F A Tantray said they will stage demonstrations from the office of Director School Education Kashmir ( DSEK) on August 05 to express their resentment against the government order.
” We are not against the scrutiny of certificates obtained from study centres or unrecognized universities but screening test of in- service teachers won’t be tolerated,” Tantray said. He said they would lock down the schools on August 06.
Meanwhile ReT teachers in Jammu region hold series of meetings to make the make the protest call a success. The meetings were held under the chairmanship of provincial president Rajesh Jamwal and State Vice President Younis Rahi. The ReT teachers have expressed their resentment against the government decision to conduct screening test for ReT and in- service teachers.
” The order is issued clearly with the intention of harassing and insulting ReT teachers.
The ReTs are appointed after proper verification of documents and making a village level panel of merit approved by ZEO, CEO and Director school education and only those who fall in merit are selected,” Jaswal said.
He said ReT teachers across state will go on mass casual leaves on 6th of july and join the protest against the order of screening test.
