Classes disrupted in Odisha schools due to teachers' stir

Classes in about 4,000 schools across Odisha got disrupted for the past three days in the wake of protests by All Odisha Teachers' Association members demanding regularisation of their services.
An estimated 40,000 teachers of 2,209 secondary schools, 916 Middle schools, 138 Madrasas and 42 Sanskrit schools, consisting about 5 lakh students, took to the streets today demanding 100 per cent government grant after abolition of the existing block grant system of salaries.
The agitating teachers, who demanded implementation of 1994 grant-in-aid policy, alleged that they were paid about one-fourth of salary against the salary of regular teachers appointed under grant-in-aid policy.

"I call upon the teachers to come to the negotiation table without affecting the studies. The government is trying to do its best within the limited resources," School and Mass Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra said.
The Education department has already started negotiation with finance department, Mishra said, adding, "I hope the teachers would choose the democratic method to select representatives to continue the dialogue with us and go back to school so that the students are not affected."
"We will raise teachers' issue in the assembly," said senior BJP MLA Dilip Ray.