PUDUCHERRY: Leaders of the School Teachers Federation of India (STFI) alleged that the School Education Department requested retired teachers attending the Teachers’ Day function to carry an attested copy of the pension payment order along with them.
Addressing reporters here on Wednesday, the STFI coordinator, R Jayaraman and president Vatsala said, this instruction was given for the function to be held to honour the retired teachers of government and government-aided private school on the occasion of the Teachers’ Day on September 5.
Jayaraman said the instructions hinted at insulting the retired teachers. The association said the education department did not send a proper invitation to the teachers for the celebrations. STFI threatened that they would boycott the Teachers’ Day celebrations. Jayaraman charged that the department had resorted to a practice of collecting compulsory donations from teachers to celebrate the day, which was not acceptable. He also charged that the administration was not even considering the demands made by the teachers, like the filling up of vacancies and added that delaying tactics were adopted by the department in addressing their grievances.
The STFI leader also slammed the Centre’s move to observe ‘Guru Utsav’ and said it was an insult Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, whose birthday is celebrated as Teachers’ Day.