Temporary teachers warn govt of decisive movement

Kathmandu, October 23:

Temporary teachers of government schools will announce decisive protests if their demands are not met by October 30, the general secretary of a temporary teachers’ body said today.

“The next phase of our protest programmes will include locking out of all district education offices. All protest programmes, including disruption of classes, will be centred on Kathmandu,” said Dinesh Thapa, general secretary of the Temporary Teachers Central Struggle Committee.

The temporary teachers have been organising relay hunger strikes since September 20 and sit-ins in front of all the district education office throughout the nation from October 8.

Among other things, they have been calling for the placement of displaced temporary teachers. They have also been calling on the government to make all temporary teachers permanent.

It is assumed that there are around 15,000 temporary teachers throughout the nation. Demanding that their demands be met, the temporary teachers have been organising a relay hunger strike at Ratnapark.

“The government is planning to make only 50 per cent of temporary teachers permanent,” Thapa said, noting that rest of the teachers will be left out if the government plan is implemented.

Laba Prasad Tripathee, spokesperson for the Education Ministry, said the government had recently formed a seven-member panel titled ‘population and social committee’ to look into the matter. Two rounds of talks have taken place, he said, adding the next round of talks will take place on October 30.