School children join teachers' agitation

Hundreds of school children in uniform today joined an agitation by teachers before the Odisha Assembly, a day after clashes between the protesters and police left at least 50 people injured
The school children from different districts along with their parents took part in the agitation watched silently by security personnel.
The teachers are demanding repeal of block grant system under which they are given a fixed salary without any social security.
Apparently taking a cue from the anti-Posco agitation, the teachers had given a call to the students and their guardians to strengthen their movement.
"The teachers are violating human rights and child protection rights by engaging them in the agitation," Deputy Commissioner of Police Nitinjit Singh said.

Leader of the block-grant school teachers association Prashant Mohapatra, however, said, "We have not forced any student to join the stir. They came on their own along with their parents to fight for their teachers."

Alleging that the state government was cheating them by giving assurance to implement the GIA soon, Mohapatra said the government was supposed to give proper salary from February 7, 2013, but it did not.
"How many days can the teachers wait?" he asked.
Mohapatra said teachers and employees of 1,982 schools have already announced to boycott the ensuing annual matriculation examination scheduled to begin from February 25.