Schools in Chennai and across Tamil Nadu are bracing for significant disruption as a state-wide strike by a major teachers' and employees' union is set to commence just a day after schools reopen from the half-yearly holidays. The action threatens to derail crucial revision classes for students facing early board examinations.
Strike Action and Core Demands
The Joint Action Council of Tamil Nadu Teachers Organizations and Government Employees Organisation (Jactto-Geo) has announced it will begin its protest on January 6. The decision was solidified during a preparation conference held in Madurai on Saturday. The unions have presented a list of long-standing demands to the state government.
Their key demands include:
- Scrapping the contributory pension scheme for employees who joined service after April 1, 2003, and restoring the old pension scheme.
- Granting teaching staff pay parity with Central government scales.
- Filling nearly 30% of vacancies across various government departments.
- Raising the compassionate appointment quota from the current 5% to 25%.
P Pandi, the Jactto-Geo district coordinator, highlighted specific grievances. "There are many discrepancies, especially for non-teaching staff, sanitation workers, and teachers who were appointed on contract from 2002 to 2010. It should be rectified," he stated. He issued a strong warning, adding, "We are prepared to vote against the DMK government in the coming elections if our needs are not met."
Impact on Students and Exam Preparation
The timing of the strike poses a severe challenge for schools managing the academic calendar. With elections scheduled next year, teachers and school heads already face a time crunch to complete portions and begin revisions for board exams.
K Chandrakala, headmistress of a corporation school, explained the typical schedule. "Generally, revision classes start just a few days before Pongal. A protest right after schools reopen on January 5 will be problematic," she said.
Echoing this concern, Jayanthi, an assistant headmistress at a Chennai government school, outlined their plan. "The strategy was to finish portions in the first week of January and then start revisions. However, the protest may significantly reduce the number of teachers present in schools," she noted.
Union Resolve and Calls for Resolution
Union leaders have expressed firm resolve, stating the protest date is fixed. Vincent Paul, general secretary of the TN Teachers' Federation, declared, "The protest shall not be advanced or postponed. We have been silent for the past five years. It is all up to the government whether they wish to end the strike or prolong it." He assured that teachers would make up for lost time, saying, "We will work overtime once our demands are met to compensate."
Kamala Kannan, a Jactto-Geo member and Chennai president for the TN Secondary Grade Teachers Association, sought to reassure students and parents. "Teachers would not leave students in the lurch when they come out for protests," she asserted, though the practical impact of a full-scale strike remains a major concern.
The situation places parents in a difficult position. S Arumainathan, president of the TN Students Parents Welfare Association, acknowledged the dilemma. "It is true that students will be the ones facing the brunt. But we cannot ask the employees not to protest. The government and Jactto-Geo should take steps to ensure students are not affected," he urged.
As the January 6 deadline approaches, all eyes are on the state government to see if a last-minute negotiation can avert the strike and prevent disruption to the academic year for lakhs of students across Tamil Nadu.
