On Teachers' Day, over 60,000 schools across the country observed black day in protest of alleged discriminatory policies against safety of teachers, principal and school management, claimed an association of budget private schools.
Schools from Delhi, UP, MP, Bihar, Assam, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Maharshtra, Telangana, Andhara Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu had maximum participation, according to a statement by the national federation of associations of budget private schools, National Independent Schools Alliance (NISA).
Schools functioned with all teachers and staffs wearing black ribbons, and buses with black flags, it said.
NISA claimed that many teachers, drivers and schools management were behind bars and schools have been closed down in the name of safety. Students' education is at stake, it alleged.
"Management and principals should not to be penalised for accidents. No arrest and no school closure before the proper investigation," the association demanded.
They also protested "increasing government intervention" in day-to-day school management.
"In India we always have a higher value for teachers. But in recent days because of the discriminatory policies...number of teachers, principal, school management, drivers and support staffs are behind the bars today," Kulbhushan Sharma, national president of NISA, claimed in the statement.
"Teachers are being treated as criminals. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao slogan is just an eyewash as literate Betiyan who are working as a teachers are behind the bars today," Sharma said.
The female teachers and female principals are soft target in the ambit of law. The teachers have been arrested without proper investigation and booked under non-bailable sections, the statement claimed.
Thomas Antony, national coordinator of NISA, alleged said that in recent days many incidents happened across the country, in which the teachers, school drivers, principal and school management and support staff were penalized, sent to jail, bail not granted for long time and were harassed because of the way our police department and legal organisations are dealing with case.
"These actions brought the situation where no one is ready to become a teacher and principal or school leader. It's high to have a direction from government for no arrest and no school closure before the proper investigation," he said.
NISA and all its member associations have sent a representation to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expecting to get his kind attention to bring Teachers Safety Act and reform the education system which is not safe for teachers and school management, the statement claimed.
