The KSTA, the NTU and a group of teachers’ organizations will stage demonstrations on Saturday with a lot of demands.
The KSTA desires for this year to have a scientific reorganization of the school academic calendar which is one of its most important demands. On the other hand, the KSTA has accused it of having been brought out unilaterally without any consultations with education activists, students, teachers, or parents. This refers to an academic calendar in which there are 220 working days and 16 Saturdays that are fifth working day in a week as opposed to sixth.
Other demands of the KSTA include scrapping the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Act; preventing the communalisation of education sector in India; withdrawal from contributory pension scheme; sanctioning dearness allowance and pay revision arrears.
CITU State unit president T.P. Ramakrishnan will inaugurate The KSTA Secretariat March & Dharna. Dharnas will also be organized in district.
Protest by NTU
The academic year education calendar needs a second look, sanctions among them being dearness allowance, leave surrender and pay revision arrears for instance; contributory pension should be done away with; Medisep should be revised to incorporate government share; midday meal rates should go up; teachers’ job security must be guaranteed. Protests will be led by NTU state and district leaders.
Joint forum stir
During a one-day fast to be held before directorate of general education some other questions like withdrawing the academic calendar, sanctioning dearness allowance/pay revision arrears and withdrawal from contributory pension scheme would drop off here where integrationist policy is being implemented in schools which allegedly blows up this sector’s policies today.
K. Muraleedharan shall inaugurate the fast while socio-political leaders shall address protestors.