Govt teachers' protest across state, seek to fulfil long-pending demands
The members of the part-time teachers association too had been protesting the DMK government to fulfil their demands, with the agitation entering its 11th day
Part-time teachers stage protest near DPI on Thursday
CHENNAI: Urging the Tamil Nadu government to fulfil long-pending demands, the members of the Tamil Nadu Elementary Teachers Organisations-Joint Action Committee (TETO-JAC) staged a protest across the state on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the members of the part-time teachers association too had been protesting the DMK government to fulfil their demands, with the agitation entering its 11th day on Friday.
To make the government pay heed to the demands of the elementary teachers working in state-run schools, hundreds of teachers and members representing TETO-JAC had announced a two-day protest across the state.
Among several demands placed by the association, the education department agreed to fulfil a few of them as per the announcement made in September 2024, however, members allege that several of the key demands are still pending.
Subsequently, to get the government to address the demands, TETO-JAC has been protesting persistently for several decades now. Hence, the two-day protest has been announced for the government to meet the demands at the earliest.
Some of the demands placed by the TETO-JAC members are; revoke the new pension scheme and implement the old pension scheme, the salaries of Secondary Grade Teachers (SGTs) should be rectified, reinstate the surrendering of leaves, Ennum Ezhuthum scheme should be stopped and all concessions given to government school students should also be given to government aided school students.
Additionally, for the demands that the government agreed upon, the elementary teachers in state-run schools have requested the education department to issue a circular, confirming the demands will materialise.
And in case the part-time teachers are concerned, the protest enters day 11 on Friday, demanding the government regularise 12,000-part part-time teachers in state-run schools.
Despite serving in schools for over 14 years, part-time teachers remain on consolidated pay, drawing a monthly salary of Rs 12,500, a marginal increase from the original Rs 5,000 when employed in 2012.
Teachers say this amount remains insufficient to sustain a dignified livelihood, especially when their roles and workloads mirror those of permanent staff.
