Kumar Rajiv Nayan
Ara : Under the banner of Bihar State Teachers’ Struggle Coordination Committee (BSTSCCC) and supported by Bihar Secondary Teachers’ Association, hundreds of school teachers staged day long dharna on March 1, 2020, in front of the statue of Jai Prakash Narayan at Ara raising slogans against Bihar CM Nitish Kumar for adopting different yardsticks towards the teachers. The contract teachers continued their indefinite strike for the 14 days to press their demands. The teachers of secondary schools are also on indefinite strike in support of the contractual teachers abreast.
Mukteshwar Upadhyaya, District President, Bihar Secondary School Teachers’ Association, Bhojpur Unit, said that the state government is yet to give equal pay for equal work to the striking teachers not has enacted their Service Code including provisions for three promotions in the entire service period. He further said that despite several verbal and written requests, the CM did not pay any heed to their demands. The contract teachers are also on dharana for the last 14 days at all the block headquarters in Bhojpur district.
Meanwhile, 70 contractual teachers were suspended while FIRs were lodged against 23 of them with different police stations in Bhojpur district on the direction of the District Education Officer (DEO) Kaushal Kumar for not joining their duties and also not cooperating in the evaluation of Intermediate Exam answer-books. The action was taken under Bihar Conduct of Examination Act-1981.