Loss of dignity on teachers’ mind, to observe Sept. 5 as ‘Black Teachers’ Day’

Ferozepur, September 2, 2018: The members of the 5178 Teachers’ Union in support of their demand of regularization in service have decided to observe September 5 – Teachers’ Day as Black Teachers’ Day.

The disparities in employment terms have divided the government teachers and they want their profession’s prestige to be restored. Loss of dignity could be measured from the fact that teachers in the school are introduced as – RMSA, SSA and 5178 – when asked to say something on Teachers’ Day.

The State Committee of 5178 Teachers Union has given a programme to observe September  5 – which is celebrated as Teachers’ Day – as ‘Black Teachers’ Day and to express their resentment by wearing the black strip on the arms, till they are not regularized on the full pay scales.

Speaking to the media persons Gaura Gagneja, Rajinder Singh – spokesperson of teachers unions said, 5178 teachers were taken on the role of the education department after passing the Teachers Eligibility Test – TET – in November 2014 at Rs.6,000 per month and they were to be regularized in October 2017. But till date, they are still continuing in the same capacity. 

A teacher on anonymity said I feel like suffocated with the disparity in our salary as temporary teachers are getting Rs.11,000 while a regular teacher gets more than Rs.50,000, despite the same educational qualifications. The teachers feel robbed of traditional dignity attached to the profession of teachers.  Not only this, it sounds like a prisoner’s tag number – 6060, 7654, 3442, 5178 – to the strength of the batch in which one is recruited.

For regularization, various vague conditions are being put forth before the state union leaders which were rejected at the very beginning, they said.

The Union leaders have demanded immediate regularization of 5178 teachers – including the waiting list art and craft and DPE – with all financial benefits as are available to the regular teachers. Failing the agitation will be intensified with doing or die strategy, with the sole responsibility of the Punjab government.

They also demanded to restore the dignity of the teachers by not dividing them into different categories so that teachers may not feel humiliated and they are introduced as the teacher.