Jose K Joseph
Bhubaneswar: With more than 60,000 teachers and employees of block grant institutions staying away from work, the education department has to wake up from its slumber for securing the future of 14 lakh students.
Significantly, it’s an open secret that the department has no plan-B to settle down the ongoing strike. “We are aware about the situation. We will take some necessary action,” said GVV Sarma, additional chief secretary, Higher Education Department.
Sources in education department told this newspaper that it had to bear a financial burden of Rs 10,000 crores if it accepts the demand of block grant employees who are protesting.
“The block grant teachers and employees are demanding the abolition of block grants system and full grant-in-aid with service conditions. So, we have to find around Rs 10,000 crores for accepting this demand and the state finance department also has to approve it. This would take some time,” said a top official of education department requesting anonymity.
On the other hand, the agitating teachers and employees have dismissed these figures. According to them, the financial burden to the government would be around Rs 1,200 crores.
“The education department is exaggerating the figures. We have submitted our estimates and details to the department. However, nothing has been done so far. This issue has been delayed for long time,” said Golak Nayak, president, Orissa School College Teachers and Employees United Forum (OSCTEUF).
But, the moot question is – “If the teachers continue the agitation who is actually teaching in block grant schools and colleges, it would affect the education in 4,000 block grant schools and 1,500 block grant colleges.”
Even when top education officials acknowledged their awareness about the issue, it is fact that the issue cannot be handled immediately. “They can have a difference of opinion regarding our estimates. But, they also admitted that it is an issue of more than Rs 1,000 crores. So, we have to approach financial department and government. Therefore, it will take some time,” said an official.
Meanwhile, the agitating teachers blamed the department for the situation. “We are concerned about our students. This is a long pending issue and the department has given us fake assurance many times. So, we cannot call off the strike,” said Prakash Chandra Mohanty, convenor, OSCTEUF.
In fact, the agitating teachers are also planning to change their protest strategy. “Till now we did not get any response from official side. So, if the situation continues we change our strategy from Monday onwards,” added Nayak without mentioning the new strategy.
Unfortunately, with teachers on demonstration mode and officials blaming the technical formalities, ultimately the situation has pushed the future of students to a dilemma. Several officials admitted that the education department has no Plan-B to help the affected students. PNN
