Valley
Teachers calls for further amendment
Teachers Struggle Central Committee have handed a memorandum to Prime Minster Puspha Kamal Dahal, demanding another amendment to the Education Act.Teachers Struggle Central Committee have handed a memorandum to Prime Minster Puspha Kamal Dahal, demanding another amendment to the Education Act.
The eighth amendment they claim failed to address the problems of temporary teachers and have been holding sit-in protests and rallies in different parts of the country, demanding a permanent status for temporary teachers through internal completion.
Parliament had endorsed the bill on eighth amendment to Education Act-1972 in June this year.
A delegation representing the agitating teachers drew the attention of PM Dahal towards the issue during a meeting at Baluwatar on Monday morning.
“The seventh amendment of the Act had provision of services and facilities for temporary teachers who fail in the written exam for permanent posting. But they have been given only two options-sit for a written test or the golden handshake. That is not fair,” said Nirendra Kunwar, president of the Temporary Teachers’ Struggle Central Committee. He added that the bill has not done justice to temporary teachers who have been working for morae than three decades.
The meeting with the PM has renewed hopes of temporary teachers. “The PM has been positive towards our demands. He has assured us that he will consult with the education minister and secretary on the matter,” said Kunwar.
The bill (eighth amendment) has fixed the 20-year cap for temporary teachers’ work experience while providing the golden handshake. The temporary teachers recruited before February 2011 can either compete for 40 percent reserved posts in
total vacancies or choose a golden handshake deal which offers severance package ranging from Rs100,000 to Rs400,000 based on their service period.
Those who do not wish to sit for test will be offered golden handshake under three categories: those with service period of 5-10 years, 10 to 15 years and above 15 years. Temporary teachers who fall under the first category will be entitled to an amount equal to 15 days’ salary for each service year, while those coming under the second and third categories will be paid one month’s salary and 45 days’ salary respectively for each year of service period.