Bhubaneswar: With matriculation examinations beginning tomorrow, the Odisha Secondary School Teachers’ Association (OSSTA) on Monday has decided to cooperate in the conduct of examinations. However, a token protest is to continue as before, informed the OSSTA secretary Ranjan Dash.
According to sources, the ongoing day and night agitation of teachers at Lower PMG Square in Bhubaneswar has entered 13th day.
Talking to media, Dash said “The representatives of OSSTA held discussion on the impact of their agitation on the Class 10 board examinations with the government. With the meeting ending on a fruitful note, we have decided to cooperate with the Board of Secondary Education in conducting the examinations, he added.
However, he has made it clear that the teachers would continue their dharna in Bhubaneswar till the government issues a notification on fulfilling their demands. If the government does not keep its promise, they would hold agitations in all districts of the state.
Notably, hundreds of secondary school teachers under the banner of OSSTA have been staging protest for the last 13 days in support of their 21-point charter of demands which include grants to eligible schools, removal of anomalies in the grade pay of Rs 2800, extension of retirement age of teachers to 62 years and pension for retired teachers of unaided schools.
This year, more than 5.51 lakh students will appear for the High School Certificate or matriculation examination beginning tomorrow. The examination will be held in 3,047 centres across the state.
