Team Herald
PORVORIM: The State government on Thursday decided to accommodate para teachers on regular posts from the next academic year 2018-19. The decision will be applicable to para teachers who joined duty on or before November 25, 2017 as per directions issued by Education Department.
The decision was taken at a meeting between Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and the Education Director.
“It has been decided to accommodate para teachers from the next academic year on regular posts, subject to certain conditions being fulfilled or relaxed within the framework of the RTE Act. The decision will be applicable to para teachers who join duty on or before November 25, 2017 as per the directions issued by Education Department,” Parrikar said after a joint meeting with the striking para teachers and DoE.
Speaking to the media, Education Director G P Bhat said, “About 132 para teachers who were out of the system, had been requested to report for duty on November 6 and from these about 45 teachers have reported for duty.”
He added, “In order to become a teacher you have to be DEd or diploma in elementary education. The government requested them to get enrolled for this diploma and almost everyone enrolled, however, they failed to report for duty.”
Several para teachers blocked the entry point of the secretariat at Porvorim on Thursday morning demanding regularisation of services. Mahila Congress members were also present at the protest site to support the agitating teachers, where Mahila Congress President Pratima Coutinho along with four para-teachers were injured after a scuffle with the police.
“We will be here until our demands are met. We want our demands fulfilled now and not next year. Also we will not join duty on November 25 as asked by DoE,” All Goa Para Teachers Association President Smita Desai said.
The teachers have been working for the last 10-12 years.
