Over 10,000 teachers teaching in primary government schools across the State arrived at the State capital on Saturday afternoon to Ghearo the Chief Minister Residence to get their demands fulfilled. However, as they were not permitted to go beyond Raj Bhavan by the administration, they sat protesting near the gates of Governor’s House.

The gherao was organised under the banner of All Jharkhand Primary Teachers Association (AJPTA) with a 16 point demand.

Spokesperson of AJPTA, Nasim Ahmed said, “We have had several meetings with the officials of school education and literacy department but all failed. This shows the apathy of the government towards teachers. We were left with no option but to ghearo the CM residence to register our protest.”

Ahmed said a meeting of the association was held with the principal secretary of the department AP Singh and almost all their demands were approved, but till date none have been implemented.

“We had another meeting with the director, primary education earlier this week on August 28 but there was no positive outcome. We have no option than to step out on the roads now,” he said.

A major demand of the protesting teachers is to bring changes in the primary teacher appointment and promotion rules 2019 as it says that teachers are not to be promoted on the basis of seniority, which is against any other promotion policy in the State. Also, the teachers demand implementation of Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP) as they claim that thousands of teachers have to retire without any promotion due to lack of implementation of this scheme.

The teachers are also against the proposed Teachers’ Transfer Rules 2019 as it does not give any relaxation for the criteria of posting of teachers in home district. “The policy says that teachers have to be posted at any other district for at least 5 years before getting a posting  at their home district. “There are over 7,000 women teachers who have no option but to leave their home districts and families because of this rule. We want this rule to be revoked,” said Chairperson of the association Brijendra Choubey.

Another major demand of the teachers is filling up of the 3,226 vacant posts of principals in government schools which is 95 percent of the total posts. “We demand that those post graduate teachers who have an experience of 13 years should be promoted to the post of principals,” Choubey said.

He added, “We also demand creation of posts for graduate trained teachers and principals in upgraded middle schools of the State for betterment of the education system.”

The other demands including non-deduction of salary of teachers for not making biometric attendance, providing transport allowance to teachers and not charging principals for loss or damage of tabs in schools, among others.

A delegation of primary teachers met the principal secretary to Chief Minister Sunil Barnwal with their demands after the protest. Ahmed said, “Most of our demands have been either accepted or will be reviewed. The talks seem to be fruitful and we are hoping to have a positive outcome.”