Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Gram Sabha backs agitating teachers in Kalahandi

The Pioneer,Nov 6,2007

Pioneer News Service | Bhawanipatna

A Gram Sab ha was organised by the high school teachers under the Block Grant category in front of Medinipur gram panchayat office under Sadar block on Saturday in protest against the State Government's "apathy" towards the education sector.

Continuing their agitation for the third day by locking up of all high schools in the State, in response to the call given by the Orissa Secondary School Teachers' Association (OSSTA) they organised the Gram Sabha under the leadership of Sarpanch of Medinipur Ramesh Majhi. The meeting demanded abolition of Block Grant Aid and implementation of the grant-in-aid for all high school teachers and appointment of two peons in every school under the Block Grant Category.

In the presence of OSSTA leader Himanshu Sekhar Pattnaik, the teachers, president and secretary of the school committee, panchayat samiti members and ward members as well as hundreds of local people held discussions on the development of school education and supported the Sikhsa Banchao, Orissa Banchao Andolan. They criticised the State Government's education policy.

A resolution was passed at the meeting and a letter was faxed to the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to the effect that the demand should be accepted immediately, failing which the agitation of locking up high schools would be continued for an indefinite period.

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