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Ludhiana anganwadi workers stage protest against pre-primary classes in govt schools
The members of Anganwadi Mulazam Union staged a protest outside the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) west office on Thursday for half an hour and raised slogans against
The members of Anganwadi Mulazam Union staged a protest outside the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) west office on Thursday for half an hour and raised slogans against the state government. The workers of five blocks demanded that children aged between 3 and 6 should be enrolled in Anganwari centres and not in government schools.
The workers stated that in a meeting held between the representatives of Anganwadi workers and social security, women, and child development minister Aruna Chaudhary on October 15, the minister has assured that all our issues would be resolved but nothing has been done so far.
The protest started at 11 am. After the intervention of the superintendent of the SDM office, the workers handed him the memorandum.
In Punjab, there are 26,656 Anganwadi centres in which 12 lakh children below 6 years and pregnant women have been provided benefits under the integrated child development services (ICDS).
Subhash Rani, general secretary of Punjab Anganwadi Mulazam Union, said, “We want the state government to ask the education department not to enrol students in pre-primary classes and send them to Anganwadi centres. The centres are involving students in various activities and providing cooked food to them.”
“During the pandemic also, the workers and helpers worked as Covid warriors and delivered food to children’s homes. If the government hires teachers for pre-primary students, then who will enrol their children in Anganwadi centres. We decided to stage the protest as we did not get any response from the cabinet minister after the meeting held on October 15,” the general secretary added.
The workers also supported the farmers’ protest held at Ladhowal Toll plaza at NH 44 on Thursday.
