Tamil Nadu: After striking for week, majority of teachers return to work

Chennai: A week-long strike by teachers pressing for various demands including the continuation of old pension scheme has effectively come to an end with more than 90 per cent of teachers returning to work on Tuesday.

The school education department has extended the deadline up to 7 pm on Tuesday to encourage the teachers to join their respective schools.

“According to the latest update, more than 97% of teachers in government high and higher secondary schools have joined duty and in primary and middle schools 85% of teachers have returned to work,” School education secretary Pradeep Yadav said.

“The primary schools have situated in remote corners. So, it takes time to compile the details as to how many teachers have joined duty. We expect more than 90% attendance in primary schools as well,” he said.

Some reports claimed that 950 teachers across the state have been suspended on Tuesday.

“The teachers have been arrested by the police for protesting. We have no choice but to suspend them after they were arrested,” officials from the school education department said.

The school education department has deputed joint directors to oversee the smooth functioning of government schools and appointment of temporary teachers.

“Since a majority of teachers returned to work, the need for appointing the temporary teachers does not arise,” one of the officials told this paper.

In a circular to chief educational officers, school education director V.C. Rameswaramurugan urged them to prepare and send school wise vacancy list as on Tuesday evening.

He further instructed the officials to issue show cause notice under 17 (b) section of Tamil Nadu Civil Service (Discipline and Appeal) Rules to the teachers who failed to return to work.

“If teachers who are joining work from Wednesday demand to allow them to work in the same schools, they should be advised to accept the transfer order to avoid the public anger, “ he said in thecircular.

However, many government employees still continue their strike and few organisations also extend their support to their cause from Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the high-level committee of Jactto-Geo has been convened to discuss the further course of action on Tuesday night.