On September 1, The adhoc teachers staged protest inside the education department at Tashiling, Secretariat, Gangtok; more than 100 teachers from all four districts of the state participated in the protest. The adhoc teachers assembled to demand an extension of their job contract until the process for the recruitment is initiated by the Education Department.
“ We don’t need fake assurance, we need justice” echoed in the premises of Education Department on September 01.
Adhoc teachers had also similarly protested in the department during June 2021 where in the Government had assured to conduct a walk-in interview in August 2020, failing to receive any progress in process from Department side, the adhoc teachers reinstated their protest.
Speaking with Sikkim chronicle one of the teachers stated, “ On June 2021, Sub Divisional Magistrate Robin Sewa had assured us about the Department’s commitment towards conducting a walk-in interview of adhoc teachers in the month of August 2021. It was also mentioned that the adhoc teachers shall be handed over with job order in the same month, but today we hear that the Sikkim State Teachers Recruitment Board (SSTRB) shall initiate the process of recruitment from October 03. The department has been continuously giving us fake assurance, is this the way to treat the teachers of Sikkim?” he added
Another protesting ad hoc teacher said, “we are in middle of the syllabus and with our contract getting expired last June the students are left with no teachers which is directly hampering the students’ education”
“In one hand the Education Department are mentioning the implementation of National Council for Teachers Education Policy and on the other hand unqualified One Family One Job beneficiaries are teaching in the schools around Sikkim” stated another teacher.
“I am an adhoc teacher posted at Rorathang school, and we only have one regular post-graduate teacher in Political Science Department and all the teachers posted are in adhoc basis. Is this how the education department functions? The state government talks about quality education and on the other hand we run deficit of teachers in school,” he added.
Anil Raj Rai, Secretary, Department of Education addressing the gathering said, “we will start the recruitment process by October 3 and assured the adhoc teachers to give them the details in written on September 2. He requested adhoc teachers to cooperate. He also mentioned Education Minister to be out of station and ACS Education and Secreatry, SSTRB on leave”
Following after day long demonstration, around 8:00 pm District Magistrate KL Ragul issued an order to impose to section 144 of CrPc within the radius of 500 meters from the outer boundary of Tashiling Secretariat.
The Adhoc teachers were later dispersed by the police personnel.