Nara Lokesh assures action

Art, Work, and PET teachers working under the Samagra Shiksha programme met Education and IT Minister Nara Lokesh, urging him to prioritise their role in classroom teaching. S Sivakumari Reddy, State president of the Samagra Shiksha Unity Welfare Association, along with other members, submitted a representation to the minister on Saturday, seeking his intervention in addressing their long-pending issues.
In a press release, Sivakumari stated that the teachers, designated as part-time instructors for the past 12 years, are being burdened with administrative work, limiting their involvement in classroom teaching. She requested the minister to have SCERT prepare textbooks for vocational education and ensure that part-time instructors are promoted to full-time vocational teachers. Furthermore, she urged the government to provide student kits and textbooks related to vocational education from the next academic year.
The association also appealed to the minister to implement GO No. 73 and extend ESI and EPF benefits to contract employees. Sivakumari emphasised that the minimum time scale should be applied, as many teachers are still not receiving adequate wages despite years of service. She also requested timely salary disbursement by the 1st of every month.
The minister reportedly assured them that the coalition government would prioritise vocational education courses and review the curriculum, teaching materials, and other related matters to address their concerns.
NTR district president Gayatri, and committee members Madhavi, Aruna, Vijayalakshmi, among others, were present during the meeting.