Agitators seek contractual appointment

Kathmandu, October 4:

Temporary teachers sat on a fast-unto-death today to pressure authorities concerned to appoint them on contract basis. At the call of Nepal Temporary Teachers’ Association, Tribhuvan University (TU), the teachers were on a five-day relay hunger strike at Maitighar Mandala.

The association has been urging the government and the TU to appoint more than 800 temporary teachers working in constituent campuses of the TU on contract basis. According to the agitators, the government had, as per an agreement reached with temporary teachers on August 22, 2006, recruited 1,380 temporary teachers on contract basis and sidelined the remaining 800 teachers.

Govinda Luintel, another temporary teacher, said, “We are getting just Rs 125 per lecture. This is sheer exploitation.”

“Appointment of teachers on contract basis will give the appointees the responsibility to attend at least 12 classes per week. This way, they will be entitled to Rs 11,500 monthly,” said he.

He said the government had acknowledged the temporary teachers’ contribution to Jana Andolan II and rewarded then by appointing them on contract basis. “Since we also contributed to the historic movement, we should not be left behind,” he said. TU vice-chancellor Prof Dr Madhav Sharma said, “If the constituent campuses need teachers, then the TU would recruit them following its own procedure.” “TU will not entertain any other procedures. We cannot breach rules for sake of agitators.”