Bhubaneswar: Teachers in Odisha were left disappointed as the Mukhyamantri Shiksha Puraskar ceremony for 2024 and 2025 was cancelled at the last moment.
The ceremony, scheduled for Teachers’ Day on Saturday, had finalised venue and timing, with invitations already sent to the awardees.
In a letter to the district collectors, the Panchasakha Shiksha Setu CEO informed them that the programme had been cancelled due to an urgent engagement of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
The letter stated that the state-level award ceremony would be organised at a later date, with the new date and time to be communicated separately. District collectors have also been asked to inform all the award recipients about the cancellation.
The decision has reportedly disappointed teachers who were expecting to be honoured after a two-year gap.
The cancellation comes amid unrest among teachers, lecturers and education employees who have been staging an indefinite protest in Bhubaneswar over their demands.
According to Odisha School College Teachers’ and Employees Coordination Committee (OSCTECC) convener Ranjan Kumar Dash, teachers and education employees have been sitting on a day-and-night protest since August 16, observed as Teachers’ Demand Day.
The protesters are seeking fulfilment of four major demands, including grant-in-aid, pension, recruitment and governmentisation. They have continued their agitation for around 20 days despite adverse weather conditions.
Meanwhile, hundreds of teachers from unaided schools and colleges marked Teachers’ Day on Saturday by staging a protest at Mahatma Gandhi Marg in Bhubaneswar to press their demands.
As the protest under the banner of OSCTECC entered its 21st day on Saturday, the protesters said they were compelled to leave their classrooms and join the agitation as the government had allegedly failed to address their demands despite repeated representations.
One of the key demands of the committee is to bring 194 high schools under the Grant-in-Aid system or provide them financial assistance on a par with similarly placed aided schools.
Meanwhile, the School and Mass Education Department has directed schools across Odisha to observe Teachers’ Day on September 5.
As part of the celebrations, schools have been instructed to honour retired teachers for their contribution to education and dedicated teaching service. Headmasters have been asked to invite retired teachers from nearby areas and felicitate them during the observance.
