Port Blair, July 27: A delegation of the South Andaman Teachers’ Branch of the Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers’ Association led by Shri D. Ayyappan, General Secretary, recently met the Secretary-cum-Director of Education, A & N Administration and discussed with him various issues concerning the teachers working under the Education Department. The Secretary-cum-Director (Edn) agreed to pursue with the Govt. Of India the issue of extending upgraded Pay under Part B to the left-out categories of teachers. The Secy-cum-Director (Edn) assured the Association delegation that the issue of grant of ISDA to teachers during summer vacation will be examined by the Administration afresh.
On the issue of regularisation of adhoc services from the date of initial appointments of teachers, the Secy-cum-Dir(Edn) informed that the matter is under process. The Association delegation brought to the notice of the Secy-cum-Dir (Edn) the delay in granting the financial upgradation under MACP. On the question of sanctioning of Child Care Leave to eligible teachers, the Secy-cum-Director (Edn) informed the Association delegation that while the Department has no hesitation to sanction leave to the employees as per rules, the studies of children should also not hamper and agreed to examine the suggestion of the Association to engage teachers on leave vacancy/contract basis from the available Panel as and when Child Care Leave for long duration was granted to eligible teachers. The Secy-cum-Director (Edn) agreed to the request of the Association to restore the power of granting leave for more than 15 days to the Heads of Offices in the Education Department.
The Secy-cum-Director (Edn) agreed with the Association delegation that those teachers whose tenure has been completed in a particular zone should get all the transfer benefits when he/she is transferred to the choice place of posting. The Association delegation requested the Secy-cum-Dir (Edn) to utilise the fund available in the Teachers’ Welfare Fund maintained by the Education Department for the needy teachers. The Secy-cum-Director (Edn) agreed that while finalising the school holiday list in future, Service Associations functioning in the Education Department will be consulted.
Shri Shashikumar, Deputy Director of Education (Planning) was also present in the meeting. The other members of the delegation of the Association were (1) Shri HL Prasad, Vice President, (2) Shri TS Sreekumar, Asst. General Secretary and (3) Shri Venkat Rama Rao, Vice President, (4) Shri R. Surendran Pillai, Secretary and (5) Shri SL Vinjit, Joint Secretary of South Andaman Teachers’ Branch of the Association.
