Teachers in WB to continue fast until the government meet their demands

Teachers in WB to continue fast until the government meet their demands

The indefinite hunger strike by a section of primary teachers in West Bengal has entered the 13th day. The primary teachers are seeking a pay hike and state Education Minister Partha Chatterjee has assured that the government is looking for a solution. The agitators, under the banner of Usthi United Primary Teachers' Welfare Association, are also seeking the revocation of the state government order which has transferred 14 of their colleagues to the faraway places. Pritha Biswas, the spokesperson of the association, said that the teachers are waiting for the official communication from the government. "To this date, there has been no official communication from the state regarding our demands. We only get to hear the comments made by the education minister during his interactions with media persons," Ms. Biswas said on Thursday. On Wednesday, Mr. Chatterjee told reporters “the government will certainly think about hiking the pay scale of the primary teachers, keeping in mind two factors - their educational qualification and the fiscal condition of state exchequer.” He also accused the BJP and the CPI(M) of politicizing the issue for personal gains. "Political parties of different hues are visiting the agitating teachers and taking political advantage of the situation," the minister had said. Earlier, Mr. Chaterjee had said that increasing the salary of the teachers would put a huge financial burden on the state exchequer. Ms. Biswas however; said that the fast would continue until the state agrees to fulfill their twin demands. "We want an official communication from the education ministry. Till then, the movement will continue," she said.

source https://www.brainbuxa.com/education-news/teachers-in-wb-to-continue-fast-until-the-government-meet-their-demands-9613