BHUBANESWAR: Days after announcing plans for creation of over 44,000 new teacher posts at elementary level by abolishing the practice of contractual appointments, the School and Mass Education (SME) department has abruptly withdrawn the letter, sparking confusion and drawing sharp criticism from teachers groups.
Additional secretary in the SME department Durga Prasad Mohapatra, in a letter to the state project director of Odisha School Education Programme Authority (OSEPA) and directors of Elementary Education and Secondary Education on August 2 had conveyed the minutes of high-level meeting chaired by the secretary where the government had decided to employ regular teachers at elementary level.
The meeting had recommended that elementary teachers be engaged as regular cadre teachers from the date of recruitment instead of the present practice of six-year contractual employment to prevent disparity among the teaching staff and improve quality of education.
It was also decided to create 44,433 teaching posts at elementary-level in view of the requirement at primary, upper primary as well as the newly-introduced Sishu Vatika level. The committee had recommended phase-wise appointment of teachers to the posts to ensure quality of education and meet the goals of Viksit Odisha by 2036.
Multiple other decisions had also been taken during the meeting including additional recruitment of special educators.
A letter containing minutes of the meeting was issued by the SME department on August 2. However, on August 7, the department informed Odisha School Education Programme Authority (OSEPA) and directorate of Elementary Education and Secondary Education that the letter has been withdrawn as it has not been approved at appropriate level.
“The sudden rollback raises questions on government’s commitment to education reform and the future of thousands of contractual educators who were expecting permanent positions,” said adviser of Odisha Junior Teachers’ Association Manoj Kumar Kar.