JUMTA urges school admin

DEEP MILAN PRADHAN, EOI, MIRIK, 25 Aug 2014: The central committee of Janmukti Unprotected Madhyamik Teachers Association (JUMTA) has urged the administration of various schools in the hills and GTA Sabhasads not to hire volunteer teachers at any schools in the hills. Speaking to reporters here, JUMTA chairman Vivek Newar said the old wounds are yet to be taken care of and the association is not ready for yet another one. “There are only 300 posts available under GTA for madhyamik teachers in the hills and we cannot let that go to volunteer teachers,” he stressed.

Newar informed his association is still working at departmental level to get the volunteer teachers hired in 2010 get regularised. “We have already stated we will not be able to provide any assistance in this regard to volunteer teachers who have been hired after 2010 and also had already urged the department to hire such teachers any further,” he added. He further said the JUMTA will only support the 388 teachers who are registered under the organisation, while the GTA has hired a total of 620 volunteer teachers. Citing an example, Newar said “A 10 bed hospital cannot have more than 100 volunteers. We understand the Hill is reeling under unemployment problems, but that does not mean we do not consider the liabilities.” He urged the GTA to find and create opportunities at other sectors as well.

He further said the JUMTA has been keeping track of the number of volunteer teachers hired at various schools in the hills and warned legal action if such hiring continues.