The strike by government staff and teachers is getting bigger and bigger. State Education Minister Sengottaiyan’s plea to teachers who are members of JACTO-GEO to give up the protest and return to school have fallen on deaf ears. Midnight arrests and recruitment of part-time teachers have begun. In a letter to secretaries of all departments, Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan warned of strong action against unauthorised absence.
The Chief Secretary has said demonstration or any other form of agitation affecting the normal functioning of government offices amounted to violation of the Tamil Nadu Government Servant Conduct Rules, 1973. No matter what, we will continue to protest until our demands are met, the teachers have said.
Unfortunately, students are the worst-hit. A few schools have been locked out in the rural areas, forcing students to go without noon-meal. With tenth and twelfth public exams are around the corner, the strike has also affected the preparations for the final exams. They have lots of portions still to be covered. And with preparations for NEET exam already creating a fear among them, one wonders why teachers have to be so adamant. The situation is getting out of hand and the onus is on the State government to set things right at the earliest.