Death Anniversary of PKS Prasad to be observed at Crusade House

The Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers' Association will be observing the 32nd Death Anniversary of Comrade PKS Prasad at Crusade House premises on 29th January, 2015 at 5.30 p.m. All are requested to attend the function.

Delegation of SATB meets Secretary-cum-Director of Education

A delegation of the South Andaman Teachers’ Branch of the Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers’ Association met the Secretary-cum-Director of Education  today  (19^th January, 2015) and discussed with him various issues relating to the teachers. The Association requested the Secretary-cum-Director of Education to take initiative to resolve the issue of granting upgraded Pay under Part B  to the left-out categories of teachers  like Headmasters, Physical Education Teachers, Craft Instructors, Librarians, etc.  which is pending with the Govt. of India. The delegation requested the Secy-cum-Director of Education to start the process of regularization of adhoc services from the initial date of appointments of a large number of teachers whose cases are pending for quite a long time. Apart from this,   various other issues like (i) Grant of ISDA during summer vacation (ii) Confirmation of teachers & publishing of seniority list (iii) Timely sanction of financial benefits under ACP/MACP Scheme (iv) Converting the ‘On Request’ transfers of the  remaining 32 PSTs & other categories  of teachers to ‘Public Interest’ (v) Publication of yearly academic calendar (vi) Appointment on compassionate ground (vii) Issue of juniors drawing higher pay than senior (viii) Reimbursement of medical claims in respect of private registered hospitals, etc. were also discussed with him. The Secretary-cum-Director of Education assured the delegation that appropriate steps will be taken to settle the demands early. The members of the delegation consisted of Shri H.L.Prasad, Acting President, Shri T.S.Sreekumar, Asst. General Secretary and Shri R.Surenrdan Pillai, Secretary, Shri S.L.Vinjit, Joint Secretary, Shri D.N.Banerjee, Organising Secretary & Shri P.Srinivasa Rao, Office Secretary respectively of the South Andaman Teachers’ Branch of the Association.   

7th Pay Commission to visit A & N Islands from 4th to 7th February, 2015

The 7th Central Pay Commission headed by its Chairman Justice AK Mathur is likely to visit these islands from 4^th to 7^th February, 2015.  Service Associations and Unions of government employees working in these islands and others will meet the Commission at Port Blair.   

 The Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers’ Association, the largest Service Association in these islands and the only one recognised by the A & N Administration, has already submitted a 34 –page Memorandum on 28^th July, 2014 to the Seventh Central Pay Commission in New Delhi.  The Memorandum covers a number of general issues of these islands as well as the demands of employees working in various departments. The issues raised through the Memorandum  include (i)   grant of enhanced pay for the Lower Grade Clerks and Higher Grade Clerks (ii)  to extend the  upgraded Pay under Part B to the  remaining categories of  teachers like  Headmasters, PETs, Librarian, Craft Instructors, etc  (iii)  Upward revision of  Overtime and Night Duty Allowance  (iv) restoration of  Earned Leave to  vacation staff   (v)   Hard Area Allowance for the entire A & N Islands (vi) medical reimbursement facilities to retired government employees, etc.  The Association proposes to make a power-point presentation before the 7^th Central Pay Commission during its visit to Port Blair.    Besides,   the Association has endorsed the demands included in the Memorandum submitted by the Confederation of Central Govt. Employees & Workers and the Staff Side of JCM National Council in New Delhi. The Confederation and JCM Staff Side in their Memorandums covered almost all aspects of pay revision, allowances, retirement benefits, etc. of central government employees.  

SATB holds Seminar on "Public Education-Challenges & Solutions"

The South Andaman Teachers’ Branch of the Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers’ Association has organised a Seminar on the topic “Public Education – Challenges & Solutions” on 10^th January, 2015 (Saturday) at Govt. Secondary School, Delanipur from 10 a.m. onwards. Dr. Vijay Kaushal, Professor in Commerce & Management, Himachal Pradesh University, who was the Chief Guest on the occasion, delivered the Keynote address.  In his address, Dr Vijay Kaushal, elaborately explained the adverse impact on the education sector following the implementation of neo-liberal   policies in the country since 1991.  It was the view of the then government immediately after independence of the country, that we should spend 6% of our national income for education sector but that is not happening now, he said. The huge amount of money available with the Life Insurance Corporation of India Ltd., which is now being invested in the Education and Health Sectors, are now targeted to be utilised for private sector through the Foreign Direct Investment for which amendments in the  Insurance Laws are being done through Ordinance, Dr Kaushal said.     

   Addressing the Seminar, Shri Durg Vijay Singh Deep, Dy Director (News), AIR Regional News Unit, Port Blair, Special Guest on the occasion, who has considerable experience of the education system in these islands due to his long association with the islands, threw light into certain realities in the school education in these islands and called upon the teaching community to make an introspection to the degradation of standard in the education. Both teachers and parents are responsible, to a larger extent, for the shaping of a student as a good citizen. He expressed concern over the absence of sacred relation between the teacher and student.          

 Speaking on the occasion, Dr  Sant Prasad Rai, Retd Vice Principal,  who worked in a number of schools at various places in these islands,   explained  the  lack of facilities provided to the students in the schools especially  those of  rural areas  and  said that the Administration should deeply  study the causes of  continued  fall in the standard  of education in the islands. He said that primary education is going to the stage of paralysis  in the union territory. He expressed his apprehension about the money earmarked for the education sector in the islands not being spent properly. 

Presenting his views on the topic, Shri Pronob  Banerjee, former President of the Association and retired Headmaster  said that  communal forces are trying to  capture the entire school education into their grip  and  called upon the teachers  not to allow the history to be twisted  while teaching in the class.  

A number of teachers, parents and others participated in the discussion on the topic and made valuable suggestions to improve the public education in these islands.  Participants in the discussion expressed concern over the deteriorating standard of education and suggested that the Administration should take immediate steps to improve the Primary Education.   Participants also expressed concern that students who come to the Middle Classes after completion of their Primary education, is unable to read and write properly. A few teachers who participated in the discussion explained the challenges faced by them in their service.  A parent Shri Sreedharan, Office Superintendent under the Administration, through an instantly composed couplet recalled his school days and narrated the lack of facilities prevailed in the islands 40 years ago and still the standard of students was high as compared to now.         

Summing up the discussion on the topic, Shri D. Ayyappan, General Secretary of the Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers’ Association explained in brief the various reasons for the fall in the standard in school education and expressed concern that students belonging to the poorer sections still lack uniform, textbooks, note books and other facilities and called upon the Administration to take urgent measures to improve the level of standard of the students in the Primary and Middle classes.   The suggestions and opinion expressed in the Seminar will be consolidated and submitted to the Andaman and Nicobar Administration.  Shri SL Vinjit, Joint Secretary, South Andaman Teachers’ Branch, who was the Moderator of the Seminar, stressed upon the importance of Pre-Primary teaching in the schools of govt. sector and to post regular Pre-Primary teachers.

          Teachers, parents and others participated in the Seminar. The Seminar was conducted as part of the ongoing Diamond Jubilee Celebration of the Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers’ Association. 

NGOs demand for immediate declaration of Summer Vacation in schools

The Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers’ Association, Andaman and Nicobar Islands has demanded immediate declaration of summer vacation for the educational institutions of these islands for the year 2015.  In a letter sent to the Chief Secretary, A & N Administration, Shri D. Ayyappan, General Secretary of the Association has informed the Administration that parents of students, teachers and others are unable to plan their visit to mainland during summer vacation for various purposes.    Shri Ayyappan informed the Chief Secretary that booking of  flight tickets for April, May and June,  2015  are already underway and  any delay in declaring the summer vacation  will  cause financial   loss to the parents of  students and teachers who wish to  proceed to mainland for home town visit, medical treatment, higher education of children, etc. 

Besides, the Association through another letter sent to the Secretary-cum-Director of Education, Andaman and Nicobar Administration has demanded that the summer vacation for the educational institutions should be declared in two spells from 1^st May and 15^th May, 2015.  Inviting the attention of the Secretary-cum- Director of Education to the Association’s letter dated 25th October, 2013, Shri D. Ayyappan, General Secretary  said  that the demand was made by the Association considering various aspects after carrying out an exercise of eliciting the opinion of teachers working in the length and breadth of this union territory.  It was further informed that detailed reason for making such a demand was also furnished to the Secretary-cum- Director of Education in the letter dated 25^th October, 2013.