Many government primary schools closed due to teachers’ protest in Bengaluru

Many government primary schools closed due to teachers’ protest in Bengaluru

Teachers demand fulfillment of their demands including the designation of qualified government primary school teachers appointed to teach classes 1 to 7 before 2016 as Graduate Primary Teachers and changes in the Cadre and Recruitment Rules (C&R rules) in this regard

Members of Karnataka State Primary School Teachers’ Association staging a protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Monday, August 12.
| Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR

Several government primary schools across Karnataka remained closed following protests by the Primary School Teachers’ Association in Bengaluru on Monday, August 12, demanding fulfillment of their demands including the designation of qualified government primary school teachers appointed to teach classes 1 to 7 before 2016 as Graduate Primary Teachers (GPT) and changes in the Cadre and Recruitment Rules (C&R rules) in this regard.

Warnings of disciplinary action

Despite warnings of disciplinary action from the Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL), most primary school teachers boycotted classes and participated in the protest. As a result, many single-teacher schools were completely closed. On Monday morning, the children who came to school as usual went home.

However, in some primary schools, only guest teachers worked and most permanent teachers were absent.

SDMCs unhappy

The School Development and Monitoring Committees (SDMCs) expressed their displeasure that the teachers participated in the protest by boycotting the classes. “Schoolchildren were deprived of a day’s class, midday meals, hot milk and educational activities,” lamented Umesh G. Gangavadi, State president of SDMC.

However, a massive protest was held at Freedom Park in Bengaluru and thousands participated.

Speaking in the protest, Mukhyamantri Chandru, president of Aam Admi Party (AAP), Karnataka, said, “Instead of listening to the words of the State government officials, the government should take quick action to correct the injustices being done to the primary teachers.”

Major demands of teachers include:

• All teachers appointed till 2017 to teach classes 1 to 7 should be designated as GPT teachers, with seniority of service and C&R rules should be changed in this regard.
• An order should be issued that the C&R rules implemented in 2017 do not apply to the teachers appointed before 2016. And, the teachers appointed before 2016 to teach classes 1 to 7 should be restricted to classes 1 to 5 and designated as PST should be withdrawn.
• Qualified primary school teachers recruited before 2016 should be promoted to high school.
• Primary school teachers should be promoted to the post of Head Master on the basis of seniority.

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