COIMBATORE: Block resource teacher educators (BRTEs) from 22 blocks in Coimbatore
and Tirupur on Tuesday protested at the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) office in the city saying they were subjected to unfriendly working conditions. They also said those BRTEs who had joined in 2006 and 2007 are yet to be granted selection grade pay.
The protesters alleged that the assistant project officer C Bellraj and superintendent S Manoharan have not been allowing them to avail medical leaves and have been treating them with hostility. “BRTEs work on almost all days of the year. When we fall ill and ask for genuine medical leave, the officials don’t grant us,” N Velkumar, district secretary of Block Resource Teacher Educators Development Association said. BRTEs provide support to teachers in schools under the SSA programme. They also take care of welfare and infrastructure programmes under SSA.
Further, they alleged that the officials had also been subjecting them to mental torture by making them appear in front of the medical committee if they apply for medical leaves. They said this has been going on for almost two years. “But we were prompted to protest because two days ago, the pregnancy of a 33-year-old woman BRTE from Palani got aborted as she wasn’t granted medical leave to be in bed rest as advised by her doctor,” a woman protester said. The protesters said even though they were eligible for medical leaves, the officials had been forcing them to avail earned leaves. Also women BRTEs alleged they were being treated without respect.
T Kalaiselvan, the district president Block Resource Teacher Educators Development Association said there were around 220 BRTEs altogether in 22 blocks. “Almost 50 of them have completed 10 years of service, but they have not been brought under the ambit of selection grade,” he said. The protesters demanded that the two officials should be transferred and the eligible BRTEs should be given selection grade pay.
When contacted, Bellraj said he was acting according to the orders from his superior officials as far as leaves are concerned. “We get orders from the state project director, Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA), Chennai through the chief education officer who also takes care of SSA,” he said. Superintendent S Manoharan however declined to comment.
Coimbatore chief education officer P Ayyannan said the protesting BRTEs had not brought their issues to his notice.
and Tirupur on Tuesday protested at the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) office in the city saying they were subjected to unfriendly working conditions. They also said those BRTEs who had joined in 2006 and 2007 are yet to be granted selection grade pay.
The protesters alleged that the assistant project officer C Bellraj and superintendent S Manoharan have not been allowing them to avail medical leaves and have been treating them with hostility. “BRTEs work on almost all days of the year. When we fall ill and ask for genuine medical leave, the officials don’t grant us,” N Velkumar, district secretary of Block Resource Teacher Educators Development Association said. BRTEs provide support to teachers in schools under the SSA programme. They also take care of welfare and infrastructure programmes under SSA.
Further, they alleged that the officials had also been subjecting them to mental torture by making them appear in front of the medical committee if they apply for medical leaves. They said this has been going on for almost two years. “But we were prompted to protest because two days ago, the pregnancy of a 33-year-old woman BRTE from Palani got aborted as she wasn’t granted medical leave to be in bed rest as advised by her doctor,” a woman protester said. The protesters said even though they were eligible for medical leaves, the officials had been forcing them to avail earned leaves. Also women BRTEs alleged they were being treated without respect.
T Kalaiselvan, the district president Block Resource Teacher Educators Development Association said there were around 220 BRTEs altogether in 22 blocks. “Almost 50 of them have completed 10 years of service, but they have not been brought under the ambit of selection grade,” he said. The protesters demanded that the two officials should be transferred and the eligible BRTEs should be given selection grade pay.
When contacted, Bellraj said he was acting according to the orders from his superior officials as far as leaves are concerned. “We get orders from the state project director, Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA), Chennai through the chief education officer who also takes care of SSA,” he said. Superintendent S Manoharan however declined to comment.
Coimbatore chief education officer P Ayyannan said the protesting BRTEs had not brought their issues to his notice.
