Visakhapatnam: As issues galore, teachers take to streets with slew of demands
Federation of Andhra Pradesh Teachers Organisation members staging a protest against government’s decisions in Visakhapatnam on Monday
Visakhapatnam: The coronavirus pandemic has significantly disrupted several sectors, more so the education sector.
While the state government is contemplating reopening of schools in November, teachers in government schools took to the streets to draw the attention of the officials concerned and seek their intervention to iron out their long-pending issues.
Until recently, their main challenge was delay in transfers. Despite the nod given by the government for transfers in the recent past, the teachers complain that the views of the union leaders were hardly considered.
In this backdrop, members of the Federation of Andhra Pradesh Teachers Organisation (FATPO) commenced a relay strike across the state.
Wielding umbrellas, they staged a protest at the Gandhi statue near Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation office amid incessant rain. "The government is taking unilateral decisions without considering the views of the unions. It will certainly not serve our purpose. Earlier, the transfers were delayed. Now, they are happening against our wishes," says E Pydiraju, FATPO district chairman.
The primary demands of the federation include recruitment of teachers for upgraded schools, consideration of union leaders' decisions in the rationalisation exercise before effecting promotions and transfers. "Most transfers are based on recommendation. The process demands transparency. Though there are burning issues which have to be sorted out with immediate effect, officials are not paying any heed to them," points out G Madhu, Democratic Teachers Federation state secretary.
Federation members mention that vacancies in upgraded schools require clarity since 2019. They say filling up of vacant posts in upgraded educational institutions should be accorded top priority. Similarly, they also appeal to the officials concerned to provide teachers an opportunity to get transferred to the upgraded schools.
With regard to teachers' transfers, FATPO district secretary general P Satyanarayana says the state government should issue a GO at the earliest. Unless the issues of the unions are addressed amicably, the FATPO members assert that their agitation will continue to intensify.