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NT Bureau
Chennai, Sept 23:
 

Chief Minister M Karunanidhi at the State level conference organised by Tamilnadu Primary School Teacher's Forum in Chennai yesterday.

        Chief Minister M Karunanidhi acceded to some of the demands of the teachers while participating in the Eighth State Conference of Tamilnadu Primary School Teacher's Forum which was held as a Thanksgiving Conference for the Chief Minister here yesterday.

        Curiously, Karunanidhi a self-proclaimed rationalist said that he was fulfilling five demands of the teachers to 'coincide' with his fifth term as Chief Minister. 'You have made fifteen representations. I am accepting five of those immediately. I have assumed the office of Chief Minister for the fifth time and Mettur Dam is full too for the fith time and your five representations are accepted,' he said.

        The Chief Minister said that secondary grade teachers would be promoted to fill vacancies of graduate teacher posts in classes six, seven and eight, when identified. Vacancies of Tamil teachers would be filled with eligible secondary grade teachers.

        A Provident Fund under a separate head called Teachers' Provident Fund will be created. Training sessions of teachers at Cluster Resource Centres will be treated as full working days. Additional Elementary Education Officers and Assistant Elementary Education Officers will be appointed directly and through transfers in a 30:70 ratio. These are the demands the Chief Minister accepted.

        Later Karunanidhi regretted that gratitude had become very rare in Tamilnadu and added that he forgot his sorrows when he saw joy in the eyes of teachers.

        Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy said teachers, besides taking regular classes, needed to inculcate self respect and common sense among students.

        School Education Minister Thangam Thennarasu said no other government had supported education as much as the incumbent DMK regime. From a Rs.7,000-crore budgetary allocation to appointment of the required number of teachers, the government was focussed on ensuring that good education was available to all.

        Social Welfare Minister Poongothai Aladi Aruna, Adi Dravida Welfare Minister A. Tamilarasi and general secretary of the Mandram K. Meenakshi Sundaram spoke.