Hyderabad: Telangana teachers to hold ‘Mahadharna’ on Aug 23 to press for their demands

Hyderabad: The Teachers' Union Struggle Committee (USPC) has announced a state-level `Mahadharna’ at Dharna Chowk in Hyderabad on August 23 to press for their demands.

UPSC is demanding the prompt release of pending bills of teachers and pensions, sanctioning of DEO posts, promotions, and others.

USPC leaders stated that despite 20 months since the government's formation, there has been a significant delay in resolving these matters, with many election promises remaining unfulfilled.

Key Demands of the USPC

During a press meet at the TSUTF office, USPC Steering Committee leaders released a wall newspaper outlining their demands:

Administrative Posts: Sanctioning of District Education Officer (DEO) posts for new districts, Deputy EO for each revenue division, and MEO posts for new mandals.

Service Rules and Vacancies: Immediate formulation of unified service rules for teachers and the swift filling of thousands of vacant posts.

Financial Matters: Prompt release of pending bills for teachers and pensioners.

Promotions: Sanctioning of 5,571 PSHM posts for primary schools and providing promotion opportunities to every Secondary Grade Teacher (SGT) with D.Ed. and B.Ed. qualifications.

Policy Revisions: Cancellation of certain Government Orders (GOs 2, 3, 9, 10) and implementation of GOs 11 and 12 for promotions. They also called for a revision of teacher adjustment guidelines and the cancellation of "Piravi deputations" (temporary transfers based on political influence).

Welfare Issues: Resolving the problems faced by teachers in KGBV, model schools, tribal welfare, and aided schools, as well as revising the Gurukul timetable.

The USPC leaders noted that their previous attempts at communication with the government, including submitting memorandums and holding district-level protests, have gone unanswered. This lack of response has led to the decision to escalate their protest with a state-wide Mahadharna.

Background of Teacher Issues in Telangana

The issues faced by teachers in Telangana are not new and have deep roots in the state's educational administration and policies, some of which predate the formation of Telangana in 2014. One of the most contentious and long-standing issues has been the lack of unified service rules for teachers. For decades, teachers working in government schools and those in local bodies like Zilla Parishad and Mandal Parishad schools had different service rules, which created disparities in promotions and transfers. While a presidential order in 2017 attempted to resolve this, it was later set aside by the High Court, leading to continued confusion and legal disputes.

Another major issue is the large number of vacant teacher posts. The government's failure to conduct timely recruitment drives has led to a shortage of teachers, particularly in rural and tribal areas. This places an immense burden on the existing staff, who are often forced to handle multiple classes or subjects, compromising the quality of education. There have also been protests regarding the implementation of the new Pay Revision Commission (PRC) and the abolition of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), with teachers demanding the reintroduction of the old pension scheme.

The teachers' unions have consistently accused successive governments of failing to address these fundamental problems, leading to phased agitations and protests. These movements, like the one planned on August 23, are a culmination of years of frustration over bureaucratic delays, unfulfilled promises, and what they describe as government indifference towards the welfare of teachers and the state of public education.