Maharashtra: 600 teachers, non-teaching staff protest

Around 600 teaching and non-teaching staff members from various teachers’ groups in the state participated in the farmers march on Monday. The teacher groups have shown support to farmer and labour unions fighting against the new laws and also raised their voice against the implementation of the New Education Policy (NEP).

“The All India Organisation of Teachers and non-teaching employees of education institutes in the country have expressed their solidarity with this struggle. A nation-wide protest of all trade unions was called for, starting January 23, and we too, joined the struggle on Monday,” the joint statement by a host of teacher unions, including Shikshak Bharti, Maharashtra Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisation (MFUCTO) Bombay University and College Teachers’ Union (BUCTU), among others, under the common umbrella of Joint Platform of Teachers, said.

In a joint statement, the teachers have highlighted how NEP violates the constitutional mandates of the reservation policy and Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act.

“The new Act will break the present structure of education and could also result in the closure of thousands of schools and colleges. Not only will this lead to high drop-out rates, but it’ll also push more teachers and non-teaching staff in ad-hoc and contractual appointments,” said a Platform of Teachers spokesperson.

The main demand of the teachers is that the government repeal the three new farm and labour laws and also withdraw NEP. “The fact that the Governor has refused to give us time to discuss such important matters is being highly criticised by all unions,” said a teacher.