GTA raises education sector demands

SNS, Darjeeling, 3 December 2017 : The chairman of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Board of Administrators, Binay Tamang, today said he submitted a memorandum to state Education Minister Partha Chaterjee regarding various problems related to education in the Hills. He also said he submitted a memorandum to State Fire and Emergency Services Minister Shovan Chatterjee, urging him to set up fire and emergency services in different parts of the Hills.

In the memorandum to the education minister, Mr Tamang has written about issues related to primary, high and higher secondary schools, along with technical education, and demanded that the issues be solved as soon as possible.

"In the primary education department the demand of filling of vacancies in the DI and SI offices have been made, along with filling vacant posts in primary schools from the Unemployed Primary Teachers Organization, Hill Primary Temporary Teacher's Organisation and Voluntary Teachers, Mr Tamang said in the press release issued here today.

He has also demanded different circle offices for primary education, and said para teachers must be made permanent. 

"In 2011, sixteen voluntary teachers and in 2014, eleven such teachers, through the Sarva Siksha Mission, were posted in the GTA area in the upper primary and junior high schools, they should also be made permanent. The vacancies have not been filled even after the government has recognized these schools," he said. In 2014, tender had been floated to construct 11 school buildings, which was rejected, but now the process for these should also be started," he added.

The memorandum also states that the 'died in harness' cases should be looked into, and vacancies of principals and vice-principals in different high and higher secondary schools should be filled.

He has also demanded sanctioning of 9 of the remaining 10 lakh that was announced by the government for missionary schools.

Mr Tamang has also demanded permanent instructors in technical institutions like the Polytechnic Institute at Kurseong and the ITI at Tung, and that the government implement its decision to open three engineering colleges in the Hills.

"In the GTA agreement, it has been mentioned that eight colleges would be set up in the HiIls, while only two have been established one in Gorubathan and one in Pedong, but the rest of the six which were to be set up at places like Sukhia Pokhari and Mungpoo should now be established," Mr Tamang said.

'Moreover, the Ghoorn-Jorebunglow College should also be recognized as government- aided," he added.

In the memorandum to the state Fire and Emergency Services minister, Mr Tamang has demanded restarting of the fire brigade station at Mirik and opening of fire services in Sukhia Pokhri, three fire pumps each at Sonada and Algarah and four each at Gorubathan and Mungpoo. He has further demanded five more fire pumps in Darjeeling town.

A separate office of the fire and emergency services should also be opened for the GTA," Mr. Tamang has said.

The press release also claimed that the minister has given 1,300 houses under the Gitanjali scheme, which will be given to needy people, specially affected by natural calamities and fire, through the GTA.