Our decision on earned leave still stands: Sadou Asom Sanmilita Sikshak Mancha

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The Sadou Asom Sanmilita Sikshak Mancha (SASSM) still stands by its May 24, 2024, stance that ‘they will not take part in any government during the summer vacation if the government does not increase the earned leave (EL) of teachers from the existing ten days to 30 days as is the case with other government employees’.

The Sadou Asom Sanmilita Sikshak Mancha is an umbrella organisation of 12 teachers’ organisations in Assam.

In a statement issued to the media today, SASSM president Ranjit Barthakur said, “Other than teachers, all employees of the state government get 30 days earned leave. Raising the number of teachers’ earned leave from the existing ten days to 30 days has been our long-pending demand. Every year, the teachers have to face false assurances on their earned leave. The government has been denying teachers earned leave on the pretext of the 30 days of summer vacation they get. Other employees of the state government get 76 days of leave a year, compared to 52 days for teachers, including the summer vacation. We set the June 30 deadline for the government to increase the earned leave of teachers, but to no avail. If the government doesn’t increase our earned leave from the existing ten days to 30 days, we will not take part in any government programme during the summer vacation. However, the government has issued orders for teachers’ training during the summer vacation.”

Barthakur said, “We have asked the education officers, who have issued orders for teachers’ training during the summer vacation, to clarify the issue of earned leave for teachers. If they don’t clarify the government’s stand on this issue, they should cancel the directive for holding teachers’ training during the summer vacation. We appeal to them not to engage teachers during the summer vacation.”

SASSM general secretary Utpal Chakrovarty said, “A state government employee gets 30 days of earned leave a year, which equates to 900 days in his 30-year service tenure. The employee can spend 600 days of earned leave and get a leave encashment of 300 days, which he will get at the time of retirement. However, a teacher can get an encashment of 300 days in his service tenure if he doesn’t spend a single day of earned leave during his service tenure. A government employee takes ten days of commuted leave a year. However, a teacher doesn’t get any commuting leave. Unlike teachers, a government employee gets holidays on second and fourth Saturdays.”

Chakravarty further said, “The teachers of central schools, schools under railways, and teachers of other states get summer vacation, winter vacation, commuted leave, etc., like other government employees.”

 Also Read: Fix anomalous Shiksha Setu app: Sadou Asom Sanmilita Sikshak Mancha (sentinelassam.com)

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