People's Democracy

STFI Decides To Observe Protest Week

THE central executive committee (CEC) of the School Teachers Federation of India (STFI) has decided to observe a Protest Week starting from August 12, the foundation day of the STFI, by organising demonstrations, rallies, hall meetings etc from the grassroots to the state level. The decision came after the recent CEC meeting at the office of the Andhra Pradesh United Teachers Federation (APUTF) in Hyderabad, presided over by the STFI president Kartik Mandal.

According to a press statement recently issued by the STFI general secretary K Rajendran, the proposed Protest Week will focus on the spiralling rise in the prices of essential commodities, condemn the hikes in the prices of petroleum products which would affect the poor and the middle class, condemn the brutal attacks on teachers and other democratic elements in West Bengal and Tripura, and lodge protest against the PFRDA bill. In regard to the education sector in particular, the STFI will demand effective implementation of the Right to Education Act for the 0-6 years age group and up to the higher secondary level and allocation of more funds for education and unearthing of the black money as a way of resource mobilisation. To save and strengthen public education, the federation will also oppose the PPP model in education as well as other moves at centralisation and commercialisation of education. It would also demand regularisation of the services of teachers on contract and of temporary teachers and employees, an enhancement in the teachers’ salaries and promotional opportunities for them. The CEC also decided to mobilise teachers to participate in the national convention to be held in New Delhi on July 22, 2011. The venue is the MPCU Sha Auditorium, Gujarati Samaj, Civil Lines, which is near the Civil Lines metro railway station in the city.

RESISTANCE 

TO PFRDA BILL

Through another resolution, the CEC of the School Teachers Federation of India decided to resist the privatisation of pension funds. The resolution asked the government to immediately withdraw of the Pension Funds Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) Bill. The STFI has decided to push its resistance to the PFRDA bill further at national seminar it is going to hold at Delhi on July 22.

Another demand of the STFI is of the cancellation of the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET). The federation appealed to the central government for a review of the conduct rules and regulations for teachers. The CEC meeting also demanded an end to the apprentice system that is there in place in regard to the appointment of teachers in Andhra Pradesh and implementation of the full-fledged salary payment as per the time scale for the teachers appointed under DSC-2008.

Speaking to the press after the CEC meeting, STFI vice president N Narayana said the executive had discussed the changes coming about in the education sector. He further said the executive had reviewed the actions and the programmes undertaken by the state and central governments in this sector, and criticised the central government for having passed the Right to Education Act but not providing sufficient funds for its implementation. It is not appropriate for the central government, which has brought in the act, to leave the implementation aspect to the state governments, he observed. He also condemned the central government for snatching away the rights of the state governments in the name of TET, and questioned the purpose of the TET when there is the selection exam of DSC at the state level for the selection of teachers. He demanded for the cancellation of the TET for good.

The STFI executive also demanded an end to the attacks, murders and excesses that are being perpetuated against the teachers in the states of West Bengal.

STFI general secretary K Rajendran and deputy general secretary C Usman also addressed the press conference.