School merger row: Uttar Pradesh Primary Teachers' Assn calls for statewide protest on July 8

Hindustan Times

a day ago

The Uttar Pradesh Primary Teachers' Association on Sunday intensified its criticism of the state government's school merger policy, claiming that the basic education department's decision to close all schools with fewer than 50 students will hinder rural children's easy access to education. The UP government rubbished the concerns of the primary teachers' association on school closure. (FOR REPRESENTATION)
To press their demands, the association has urged all stakeholders to stage a sit-in (dharna) at the district basic education office concerned across the state on July 8.
Dinesh Chandra Sharma, president of the primary teachers' association, alleged that the state government, by merging or pairing schools in the name of consolidating infrastructure and manpower, is depriving children aged 6 to 14 of free and compulsory education.
He further alleged that the state government is eliminating the post of headmaster in primary schools with up to 149 students and upper primary schools with up to 99 students. This plan, which effectively means running schools without headmasters, ends opportunities for teacher promotions.
'Due to the closure of schools, the services of thousands of cooks will come to an end and the DlEd/BTC qualified candidates hoping to become teachers in the future will not be able to get recruited,' Sharma said.
Sharma also said the UP government should roll back its decision to merge schools.
'Our demand is that no school should be closed. If the government really wants the benefit of education, then one assistant teacher should be appointed for every class and one headmaster in every school,' he said.
All the affected stakeholders are requested to attend the proposed dharna at the office of the district basic education officer concerned on July 8 and support their demands, he added.
The UP government, however, rubbished the concerns of the primary teachers' association on school closure.
'We're effectively implementing the adjustment of teachers in government schools of the state under the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE, 2009),' a spokesperson said.
Justice Pankaj Bhatia of the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Friday reserved judgment in the merger of schools case after hearing the matter for two days.
During the hearing, the petitioner sought a stay on the government order for merger of primary schools. The state government justified its decision. Hearing in the case began on Thursday