Port Blair, April 30: The President of the Andaman Nicobar Teacher’s Association Shri Y. Sajeevan today said that the Andaman & Nicobar Teachers’ Association will keep its fight alive to get justice to the teaching Community. Talking to Media persons today at Port Blair he said that the response of the Hon’ble Lt. Governor was very encouraging and positive in the meeting held yesterday.

The delegation of the Association met LG under the leadership of its Patron Shri Kuldeep Rai Sharma and submitted a 15 point memorandum on the issues pertaining to the teaching community. Sajeevan told that the LG assured that the proposed increase of working hours won’t be implemented in the schools, seeing the difficult geographical conditions of the Islands. Moreover no state of the country has implemented this yet. The other most important issue discussed in the meeting was regarding the regularization of the adhoc employees. ANTA argued that the Regularization of ad-hoc services should be done from initial date of appointment. The Association suggested to constitute a Pre Litigation Cell for the amicable settlement of service matters preventing the teachers to resort to legal aid. The ANTA Chief requested to Grant the Island Duty Special Allowance during summer vacation to the teachers.

Another demand was to Roll Back the timing of the Summer Vacation of schools of Education Department as in the past with 2 spells (1st May and 15th May).

Talking about the other issues discussed in yesterday’s meeting Shri Sajeevan said the Government has extended the facility of Child Care Leave to the Women Employees, but the department is depriving the employees to exercise their right. Expressing his anguish over the non transparent transfer policy the ANTA President said that it is  surprising that the Police Personnel are deputed to southern group of Islands for a reportedly tenure of 10 months whereas the teachers are posted for indefinite period, which is absolutely illogical and inhuman.

Welcoming the decision of implementing on-line transfer Policy, he said that the department should define the tenure first. The teachers are unaware of it. Other demands which came up in the meeting were the redeployment of teachers, conversion of Principals, staff of DIET/ SIE to non vocational, settlement of Transfer claims, Up gradation of qualification, in-service/study leave to purse B.Ed. degree course, grant of ACP/ MACP, amendment in transfer policy specially for difficult areas etc.

The Lt Governor assured all possible steps in alleviating the service related issues of the teaching community at the earliest as he emphasized the profession to be the noblest in the society, said Sajeevan.