People's Democracy

Shikshak Bhawan Inaugurated

The School Teachers Federation of India (STFI) president Kartik Mandal  and general secretary  K Rajendran issued the following statement on September 27:

THE All India office of the STFI will be a centre of teachers movement of India. Inaugurating the Shikshak Bhawan in Delhi, eminent scholar, economist, former student leader and MP Sitaram Yechury said that this office should serve the needs for social change. The neo liberal policies of the UPA -2 government are commercialisng the education system. Only the united teachers movement can give the proper and needed direction to the students and ultimately to the society. While opening the discussion after the inauguration of the Shikshak Bhawan, STFI general secretary explained the aim for running an all India centre of the Federation. It will strengthen teacher’s movement for public education and fight against public-private-partnership in education. He called for the broader unity of teachers of the nation.

Earlier the photograph of STFI founder president Ajit Bagh was unveiled by D Rami Reddy, ex president of the STFI. The website of STFI was launched by ex treasurer of STFI, Raseed Kannicherry. On this occasion, ex secretariat members of the STFI were welcomed by president of STFI, Kartik Mandal.

Speaking on the occasion, the All India State Government Employees Federation, general secretary R Muthusundaram congratulated the STFI for opening an all India office at Delhi. In this period of neo liberal policies, teachers movement will not only fight for educational rights but also for strengthening the larger sphere of the trade union movement. Ex Delhi University Teachers Union president and leading educationist Dr Vijender Sharma said that new technology in education cannot be an alternative to the teachers and pedagogy. Globalisation does not work for character building. Its aim is just to get profits. Commercialisation and privatisation in education has posed a great challenge for the teachers movement, he said. The function was also addressed by DUTA president Amar Dev Barman. STFI treasurer Satyapal Siwach thanked all the teachers and participants who came from all corners of India to attend the inauguration function.