Attended by hundreds of teaching community members one day district conference of J&K United School Teachers Association (USTA) was held at Rajouri which was Presided over by its district President Sajjad Mirza.While addressing the conference Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, senior CPI(M) leader and MLA said that the present dispensation at the centre has been talking high for prioritizing the education sector in terms of its expansion and imparting of quality education but, in fact, it does not accord enough amount to the this sector. Expenditure in education sector being insufficient, how come we expect to cover the neglected, deprived, far flung and tribal areas across the country which seems to be a distant dream for the people living in these areas.“From the recent incidents in some of the higher institutions of learning in the country, it is evident that the BJP-led central govt. is not allowing dissent, debate and discussion which is always healthy for over all development of the society, he said and added that in fact, debate and discussion needs to be encouraged right from primary classes then and only then we can be sure of productive future of our younger generation.”
Students have a bigger role to play on issues which pertain to their studies and unitedly raise their voice against all shades of atrocities and they have to be trusted and encouraged to organize themselves in order to shape their future.Desperate attempts are being made by RSS-BJP dispensation to de-secularize the state and society and education is the area which is being targeted for this purpose. Issues are being raised which amount virtually in derailing the democratic urges and aspirations of the people. In fact, patriotism should be acknowledged from our attitude towards marginalized and deprived sections of the society, he stressed that any slogan which divides the ranks of the people cannot be termed as patriotism.
In his address Choudhary Qamar Hussain, MLA Rajouri emphasized for maintaining of solidarity among the people and that the teaching community has to play a pivotal role in this aspect. Kuldeep Raj Gupta, Vice Chairman, J&K Pahari Board also spoke on the issues and problems of the teaching community and urged the government to resolve the legitimate and genuine demands of the community. Om Prakash, General Secretary, J&K CITU also addressed the conference.Hari Singh, President, J&KUSTA urged the government for early regularization of ReT teachers having completed required period of service, filling up of vacant posts of lecturers, master and teachers in rural and far flung areas, implementation of transfer policy keeping in view the difficulties of female teachers etc. Among others Rajeev Kumar, General Secretary, USTA, Satpal Sharma, Bashir Ahmad, Shive Chander and Ghulam Rubani also addressed the conference. (KNS)