Resentment is brewing among the teachers of the Government schools over the education department’s decision to dissolve 2600 posts of lecturer Teacher (lT) in state. The education department dissolved these positions of lTs by declaring them as surplus. The education department’s plea for dissolving 1453, lT posts in Garhwal Division and 1147 posts in Kumaon Division is that the more than required number of teachers was posted in many schools of the State.

The drop in number of student enrollment is seen as one of the chief cause for this drive. The lT teachers are up in arm against this act of Government. On Tuesday a delegation of these teachers met the state Congress President Kishore Upadhayaya and raised their protest.The teachers argued that the decision is detrimental for both the trained unemployed youths and the students of the State. They demanded that the state government should immediately withdraw the order. Upadhayaya assured the delegation that he would discuss the matter with the department officials.

The Spokesperson of Rajkeeya Shikshak Sangh Ajay Rawat said that the decision of the department is unfortunate and a delegation of the Sangh would meet the Education Minister and State Chief Minister Harish Rawat on the issue.

The Vice President Garhwal Division of the RSS, Mukesh Bahuguna told The Pioneer that the entire process of declaring surplus adopted by the education department is faulty. He said that the National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE) has laid down a criterion of one teacher on every 30 students which the education department is not following.

The President of RSS, Chamoli district, KK Dimri said that the many lTs are sharing the load of lecturers which the department failed to look into. He alleged that the Government’s decision is a step towards the privatisation of the education system in the state. He demanded that process of promotions of teachers should have been done before taking any decision on surplus lT posts.