Primary education has to be in mother tongue, says Mumbai teachers' group

Anil Bornare, president of Maharashtra Rajya Shikshak Parishad, Mumbai region

In a bid to improve the quality of education and promote teaching as a profession, a teachers' group in the city, Maharashtra Rajya Shikshak Parishad, has reached out to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javdekar.

It has demanded that primary schools teach students in regional languages and the state government come up with an academic calendar before the year starts.

Basic learning
Speaking to mid-day, Anil Bornare, president of Maharashtra Rajya Shikshak Parishad (Mumbai region), said, "As students learn the basics at the primary level, they should be taught in regional languages. We demand an academic calendar, as some or the other changes keep coming up during the year, which disturb the day-to-day functioning of schools."

"Teachers should have more say in formulation of education policies and taking decisions related to running of the system. As we deal with students and parents on a daily basis, we know how to run the system. Sadly, due to political interference, our efforts in bettering the system get ignored. That is why we have formulated a list of demands," he added.

Policy changes
The Maharashtra Rajya Shikshak Parishad will forward this list of demands, prepared by the Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh, to the district collector of Mumbai as well on Monday.

The teachers are of the opinion that political interference and commercialisation of schools must stop and policy changes should be made in a way that teachers are not exploited in terms of permanency, promotion and retirement.

"We also want uniformity in the teachers' policy. It's been a month that the state government has declared the seventh pay commission, but we have no clue when it will be implemented. Teachers should not be appointed on a contractual basis, as it deprives them of their basic rights. An independent commission should be formed along with teachers and parents," he said.

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