Bihar govt withdraws order to reduce holidays after teachers threaten stir

Bihar's Education Department on Monday withdrew a controversial order to reduce the number of holidays during the upcoming festive season after several teachers' associations threatened to launch a state-wide agitation from Tuesday.

The education department, less than a week ago, issued a revised holiday calendar for schools, reducing festival holidays between September and December to 11 from 23.

The education department, in a circular issued on Monday evening, said, 'The department withdraws revised holiday calendar with immediate effect. Therefore, the old holiday calendar remains effective.' However, even after the withdrawal of the revised holiday calendar, teachers' associations maintained that their call for agitation from Tuesday still stands.

'Our call to launch the agitation was against several decisions taken by the state government recently and it still stands. Withdrawal of the revised holiday calendar was one of our demands.

'We also demand the immediate withdrawal of all departmental action, including suspension, initiated against several teachers. We also demand the regularisation of contractual teachers,' Raju Singh, convener of TET Primary Teachers' Association told PTI.

'As per our earlier decision, teachers' associations in Bihar will launch a state-wide agitation from September 5 against different measures taken by the state education department. About 15 teachers' associations have unanimously decided to protest against the department's recent decisions. All teachers of 75,309 government schools in the state will sport black ribbons as a mark of protest on September 5 -- Teachers Day,' Raju said.

They will, however. participate in all academic activities at their respective schools on that day, he clarified.

Besides, the teachers will burn effigies of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav outside block offices across Bihar on September 9, he added.

The special holiday calendar was recently brought out by the state education department in a bid to ensure that primary and middle schools in the state achieve a number of maximum work days as stipulated under Right to Education Act.

As per the notification issued on August 29, the department reduced the number of festival holidays to 11 from 23 between September and December. The notice had also sought to bring uniformity across the state, though district education officers have been permitted to announce additional holidays with permission from the department.

The department also came out with a slew of stringent measures to infuse diligence among its teachers and officials and improve academic atmosphere in government-run schools in the state.

According to the order, the number of holidays during Durga Puja had been reduced to three days from six and a single day on Diwali (November 12).

The order had sparked off a political slugfest between the opposition BJP and the ruling Mahagathbandhan government.