BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Monday announced the filling of a staggering 20,000 junior teacher vacancies even as elementary teachers intensified their protest across over 300 blocks and threatened to go on mass leave if their demands relating to job regularisation, pay hike and pension are not fulfilled.
Sharing a notification to this effect, the School and Mass Education department informed a total of 20,000 junior teacher (schematic) posts will be filled up at primary and upper primary levels across Odisha. It said the district and category-wise details of the posts will be available on the official website of the Odisha School Education Programme Authority (OSEPA) and asked interested candidates to apply only through online mode from September 13.
The last date of submission of the online application form is October 10, it stated. The department also clarified no other mode of application will be accepted and there will be no examination fees. The candidates will be selected on the basis of marks secured on the CBT (Computer Based Test) examination.
Meanwhile, elementary teachers, under the banner of all Utkal Primary Teachers’ Federation, continued their protest paralysing education partially in thousands of primary and upper primary schools in the state. The teachers, who gheraoed the BEO office in Bhubaneswar and sat on dharna in front of it, also agitated in more than 300 block headquarters.
“We protested and observed a work boycott. However if our grievances are not considered immediately, all primary and upper primary teachers will go no mass leave,” said Sujata Dash, a leader of the federation. A delegation of the teachers also held talks with SME officials. However, the outcome of the meeting is yet to be known. The teachers are demanding job regularisation of existing contractual teachers along with `4,200-grade pay and implementation of the old pension scheme.