If a state is facing a problem, solving it may be difficult but running away from it is no solution. Understanding the problem and resolving it for human welfare is a right decision. Today, our state is facing a problem but it seems to be running away from the problem and unexpectedly is at war with a huge section of its peace loving citizens.
What oxygen is to lungs, peace is to our state Jammu and Kashmir. Without peace, the state can never achieve progress and prosperity in any sphere of life. Peace can allow judicious utilization of our resources- both human and non-human- and accountability of those at the helm of affairs. Besides, peace creates no obstacles in progress, allows people to live in a safe and secure environment and saves the wastage of resources. Without peace, honest work ethics becomes very difficult, if not impossible, to achieve.
For peace to prevail, every state needs strong institutions run by peace loving people. If any institution is not run by peace lovers, then that institution sows and waters the seeds of peacelessness through its actions. As a result, corruption and exploitation take the driving seat and run the institution counter to public expectations. Basically, corruption violates the rights of citizens which creates chaos and an insecure climate. Only people with honest work ethics make institutions strong by protecting the rights of their fellow citizens and so make way for peace.
J&K is gifted with lakhs of peace lovers who have no greed and lust for becoming rich and wealthy at the expense of the prosperity of their fellow citizens. These peace lovers are an asset of this state. They deserve medals for their peace loving attitude.
Through their exemplary behavior and selfless service to the weaker and disadvantaged sections of the children of this state, those peace-loving citizens of the state have taken education to the door steps of each habitation and village. Yes, these teachers may have weaknesses and may not have lived up to the expectations but degrading them and keeping them away from schools is miscarriage of justice.
Known as Rahber-e-Taleem (ReT) teachers, these patriotic citizens of the state have been appointed by the state under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) since year 2000 AD. They are mandated to teach at the elementary level in the state run schools across J&K. SSA simply has been a source of funds to the successive state governments which have been paying salaries out of those funds to these teachers.
It has been purely through their zeal, hard work and patriotic feelings that these teachers have spread education through the length and breadth of the state. In return, the state paid them Rs 1500 to Rs 3000 a month for five years without counting this service. A manual laborer earned more than these teachers. Later on, the state regularized these teachers as General Line Teachers.
Today, the state is at war with these teachers. In April, this year, the state raised the monthly salaries of its more than four lakhs employees but ironically has not done so for these teachers (under SSA). Worse, the state releases their salaries of one month or two months (after three to five months) on festivals. Facing miserable social and family conditions, these teachers appeal for the solution of their issues. But the state responds with violence and indifference. On Teachers’ Day (Sept 5), the teachers met with state violence when they observed the day as “black day”.
Some days back, these 41 thousand teachers began an indefinite hunger strike, a peaceful way to press for their genuine demands. However, no positive response has come from the authorities so far. Silence by the state and its claim of tasking a committee to report in November about the teachers’ issues, is failing to convince the teachers.
In this war like climate, education of about 12 lakh children and future of their suffering teachers is at stake. Moreover, tension is prevailing at these schools and in society and peace has taken a severe beating.
The state can send these peace loving teachers back to schools by either issuing an order promising a raise in their pay scale like the rest of the state employees or raise the pay scale with immediate effect. Or, it can promise the teachers’ leaders that the demands will be met on a certain date after 15 to 20 days. Then the state must keep the promise.
If not, the state needs to come clean on the future of these permanent teachers and save the future of lakhs of children whose annual exam is just some days away. With their teachers sad, demotivated and away from schools, the poor children are facing a threat of loss of their academic year. So do not be at war with the teachers; but be at war with the problems of the teachers. Resolve their problems; end the war with them.
Sheikhshabir518@gmail.com