New GR on night schools, committee to form comprehensive plan

Teaching and non-teaching staff at these schools have been voicing their concerns related to medical reimbursement and other issues

PUNE In a Government Resolution (GR) issued on January 17, a state committee has been formed by the state education department to look into the benefits for teaching and non-teaching staff of night schools. However, the committee, does not have night school representatives to voice their struggle. Teaching and non-teaching staff at these schools have been voicing their concerns related to medical reimbursement and other issues.

In a Government Resolution (GR) issued on January 17, a state committee has been formed by the state education department to look into the benefits for teaching and non-teaching staff of night schools (HT PHOTO)

According to the GR, the 10-member committee will be headed by the school education minister.

“Deputy chairman of the committee will be minister for state school education and member of legislative council (MLC) Vikram Kale, MLC Kapil Patil, MLC Vilas Potnis, MLC JD Asgaonkar will also be a part of committee. In addition to this, the 10-member committee will include the additional chief secretary school and sports department, joint secretary education department, state education commissioner and deputy secretary,” stated the GR.

The GR further underlines that the committee will be involved in rethinking about the GR published on May 17,2017 and to chalk out a complete and comprehensive plan regarding night schools.The GR also directed the committee to table their findings and decision in eight weeks.

Speaking about the GR, Principal Avinash Takawale, former principal of Poona Night School and now president nationalist teacher cell Maharashtra state said that the move by the government is welcome. “The 2017 GR has a clause stating that teachers cannot work full time and part time. Teachers who are working for night schools should get all benefits. As per the GR, the teaching and non-teaching staff should get the benefits of a regular teacher. However, the implementation of that GR was not done. And this decision to constitute the committee is a good move,” said Takawale.

However, if there is no representative from the night school staff on the committee. “If there were representatives of the night school on the committee, we could highlight the struggle of teaching and non-teaching staff. No service protection has been given to teaching and non-teaching staff at present. For instance, service protection includes medical reimbursement, rent allowance and other allowances,” said Takawale.

The GR dated January 17 clearly outlines that the committee is formed as there are discrepancies in implementation of May 17, 2017 GR.