GUWAHATI, Sept 4 - A day ahead of Teachers� Day celebration, members of the teaching community expressed its anguish against the State government stating that there is an urgent need to develop a healthy academic environment for the sake of nation building.
�We are not slaves of the government. Rather we want to serve the nation. So, I think, the purpose of the Teachers� Day will be served only if the State government creates a good environment for the education system in Assam,� said Ratul Chandra Goswami, general secretary of the Assam State Primary Teachers� Association (ASPTA) while talking to The Assam Tribune.
Goswami, a lower primary teacher of the State, alleged that for the last many days various stakeholders of the education system have been violating rights of the teaching community.
�The lack of coordination among various departments has been creating a lot of problems and causing mental stress, which ultimately takes a toll on the academic environment. Again, our examination and evaluation process needs to be amended as soon as possible. Otherwise, the whole country will have to suffer a lot in the near future,� Goswami added.
Meanwhile, the Asom Sikshak Karmachari Aikya Mancha (ASKAM) is observing a daylong hunger strike in support of their various demands on the Teachers� Day beside the Dighalipukhuri tank here.
�Altogether 8,000 educational institutions, from lower primary schools to colleges, remain non-provincialised in the State. As a result, around 48,000 teachers and employees have been deprived from availing their dues. Such a situation is very harmful for our society. The main aim of Teachers� Day will be fulfilled only if the State government addresses the problems of teachers,� said Anowar Hussain, a teacher of NAC Junior College, Nagaon, and general secretary of the ASKAM.
Unfortunately, in Assam, the future of around 41,000 contractual TET-qualified teachers remains uncertain allegedly due to negligence of the State government.
During a conversation with the newspaper, office-bearer of the Sadou Asam Prathamik TET Uttirna Sikshak Samaj (SAPTUSS) alleged that although they are performing their duty for last seven years in various schools of the State, their job regularisation remains a far cry.
�There is no healthy education environment in Assam, and that is why a large section of teachers is still looking at an uncertain future. It is ultimately harming our students. Again, the new education policy also stated that by 2022 there will be no contractual teacher in the country. So there is an urgent need to resolve our problems before the deadline,� said Kulajit Thakuria, an office-bearer of the SAPTUSS.
