Rautahat schools shut due to temporary teachers' strike

RAUTAHAT: Community schools in Rautahat have remained shut on the third day today owing to a protest staged by temporary teachers against the Eighth Amendment to the Education Act, 2016.

Hundreds of temporary teachers gathered in front of the District Education Office in Gaur today and continued their protest. The DEO's works have also been affected today as well.

The amendment had offered two options to the temporary teachers: to fight for permanent posts or accept retirement with a golden handshake scheme.

But, the teachers in the district have been demanding that they be allowed to take part in internal competitions, guaranteed medical expenses and provided provident fund for those who do not qualify for the permanent posts, among others.

The Temporary Teachers Struggle Committee coordinator Tekman Yadav clarified that the protest would continue till Monday, as announced earlier as the first phase of protest programme against the amendment.

Yadav claimed that the teachers had to resort to agitation as the government failed to implement the past agreements and amended the Act to relieve them of their duties now.

Around 350 schools have remained closed since Thursday following the strike.