ATA urges govt to review decision on amalgamating directorates

Staff Reporter

ITANAGAR, Nov 17: The Arunachal Teachers’ Association (ATA) on Tuesday urged the state government to review its decision to amalgamate the elementary school and the secondary school directorates into one.

Just after forming government for the second term, the Chief Minister Pema Khandu-led government took the decision in the cabinet in June 2019 to merge the two directorates into a single one. It was widely welcomed across the state.

However, the ATA lodged a protest, demanding reconsideration of the cabinet decision to amalgamate the two directorates.

Speaking to journalists, ATA president Kipa Kechak stated that merging the two directorates would “affect the education system, especially the elementary level, adversely.” He argued that elementary level education and secondary level education have their own distinct issues and the amalgamation of the two directorates would make the education system worse.

The ATA president demanded complete bifurcation of the directorates of elementary and secondary education down to the district and the block level “for effectiveness of education in the state.”

The association also demanded enhancement of teachers’ retirement age from the existing 60 years to 62 years.

“At par with doctors and professors, the government should fairly treat us (teachers) on retirement age limit. We demand on condition, teacher who wants to go voluntary retirement may go. However, whoever wants to teach should allow to do till 62 years of age,” said Kechak.

“If the government cannot enhance retirement age, the teachers should be given 30 days’ earned leave. We do extra duty even on Saturdays, unlike other government employees,” he added.

The ATA further demanded retention of the engineering wing in the education department and regularization of 400 posts of teachers exclusively created for the SSA teachers.

Throwing its weight behind the ATA’s demand, All Arunachal Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan Teachers’ Association (AASSATA) general secretary Techi Bolo stated that the AASSATA would support the ATA’s demand.