Boycott continues as officials not allowed to enter schools

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, February 23

The stand off between the Education Department and teachers of the Adhyapak Sangharsh Committee on the Parho Punjab Parhao Punjab project continued as it was boycotted for the second day across the state today.

In Jalandhar and Kapurthala also, the project observed a total boycott with tests for students of Classes V to VIII not even being held at three schools of the city where these were held yesterday.

With the department resolute upon conducting the tests for the project and teachers also bent on boycotting it on the call of the Adhyapak Sangharsh Committee have brought things to a standpoint that teams of district and block coordinators are being sent away from schools repeatedly for the second day.

There were also reports of various district coordinators (whose task it is to implement the project) submitted resignations having submitted their resignations which were not accepted by the department.

While the clashes had turned violent yesterday at several places with altercations between DEOs and teachers and police had to be called in with even officials being locked in by teachers, the boycott today was relatively peaceful with no untoward incident. The wary teams did not enter schools where they were prevented from coming.

While the Education Secretary had asked DEOs to seek the police help, the opposition to the project is so relentless that despite police intervening at several places, a total boycott of the project is being observed across the state.

The Adhyapak Sangharsh Committee which includes over 1.5 lakh teachers’ unions such as SSA, RMSA, EGS, STR, Sikhiya Providers among others, has stated it would not withdraw its stand till the Chief Minister grants their demand of regularisation among others, until the impending meeting of February 28.

Nishant, Kapurthala president of the committee, said: “We are not backing down till our demands are met. The state government has always tried to coerce the teachers into surrendering but it is high time the government gives us a patient hearing and addresses our demands.”