Goa Government Should Shoulder the Burden of paying Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Teachers

Mr. Shantaram Naik M.P. has said that Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan para teachers services should now be utilized by Goa government and their salaries should be paid from the State coffers , as they did last year.

Mr. Shantaram Naik M.P. discussing with teachers of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyanwhose contract has not been renewed, outside the office of Directorate of Education. Shri Altinho Gomes, General Secretary, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee, Miss Shubhra Talaulikar, Subiksha Kalgutkar, Swati Gavtekar, Rashmi Khan and others

Mr. Naik who met the teachers, appointed under the scheme for the year 2006-07, 2007 -08 and 2008-09 and who are now out of job, their contract having not been renewed, said that the HRD Ministry had stopped paying the teachers appointed under the scheme since last year, and that, since last year it is the Goa government which is paying their salaries.

Mr. Naik said that this year too, the state government should renew their contract and try to claim reimbursement from the HRD Ministry whatever amount the state government, has incurred last year, which is amount is around one crore and also the amount which the state government is likely to incur for the year 2009-10 or part of it.

Mr. Naik said that since Goa has high literacy, and that, since our needs are very limited, the central government norms for supplementing educational needs under the scheme do not strictly apply to Goa unless the norms are suitably relaxed.

Mr. Naik , who had a meeting with Shri P.R.Nadkarni, Project Director of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, further said that although state government should now share the burden of these teachers salaries, they should simultaneously claim reimbursement and should not give up the claim.

In any case, the State Government has to take a human approach and considering that such para teachers are very much required in the State, should sanction necessary amount towards their salaries.