College teachers threaten to observe Sept 5 as Black Day

Feeling humiliated over the refusal of Punjab Education Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan to meet a delegation of the college teachers; the agitated teachers, working in the government and private colleges of the state, have threatened to launch an agitation against the SAD-BJP government.

The vice-president of the Punjab Federation of College and University Teachers Organisation, Prof Jaipal Singh, said if the state government failed to disburse the arrears of the revised pay scales of teachers and other academic staff of universities, government colleges and government-aided private colleges of the state, they would stage protest demonstrations in all parts of the state and would observe September 5 (Teachers Day) as the “Black Day”.

Jaipal said, “On Wednesday, a delegation of the college teachers went to meet Sekhwan in Chandigarh regarding the demands of the teachers and the issue of the release of the arrears, but the minister refused to meet us.

Despite repeated requests to the staff of the minister, we were not allowed to convey our demands to him. This is not only injustice with the teaching community, but also shows the callous attitude of the state government towards the education sector.”

In pursuance of the recommendations of the University Grants Commission (UGC), on September 4, 2009, the Punjab Government had revised the pay scales of teachers and equivalent cadres in universities and colleges in the state with effect from 1st January, 2006.

“Despite the notification, teachers and other academic staff working in government and private colleges, GNDU and Punjabi University, are awaiting the disbursal of the arrears, as per the revised pay scales with effect from January 1, 2006,” said Jaipal, adding that they would prepare a comprehensive strategy to deal with the crucial issue of the non-disbursal of the arrears. Despite repeated attempts, Sekhwan was not available for comments.
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