Day’s salary of 80 teachers deducted for holding protest

Tribune News Service

Patiala, September 9

Taking a strict disciplinary action, the administration has deducted a day’s salary of 80 teachers of 10 meritorious schools in the state for holding a protest. The teachers had held a protest against a test meant to assess their knowledge on August 9.

The Society for Promotion of Quality Education for Poor and Meritorious, which runs the meritorious schools, had conducted the test to assess the knowledge of the teachers. However, 80 teachers boycotted it while some appeared for it.

After serving show-cause notices on August 14, the authorities had invited replies from the protesting teachers before August 30.

In March, the authorities had conducted a test in which around 89 teachers had scored below 40 per cent. Subsequently, a written test was held on August 9, reportedly, to renew the contract of the teachers. The protesting teachers said the authorities were harassing them by conducting a test after five years in service.

The teachers had also met the Education Minister to seek withdrawal of the show-cause notices. The teachers claimed that he (minister) had assured help, but the department deducted their salary.

Project Director, Meritorious School, Maninder Singh Sarkaria said the action was taken because it was a ‘misconduct’ to hold a protest when they were relieved from giving the test.