Srinagar, Sep 24: The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Thursday adopted a resolution seeking amendments to the Right to Education Act to exempt teachers appointed before October 31, 2019, from appearing in the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET).
According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Education Minister, Sakina Itoo moved the resolution that urges the Union Government to make necessary statutory amendment to Section 23 of the Right of Children to Free and RTE Act, 2009, to exempt all teachers appointed before October 31, 2019 from appearing in the TET.
The resolution moved by the Minister reads, “This House unanimously urges the Union Government to make necessary statutory amendment to Section 23 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, to exempt all teachers appointed before October 31, 2019 from appearing in the TET.”
The House further urges the Union Government to take all necessary legal steps and issue the requisite Notification through the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) for exemption of Teacher Eligibility Test (TET).
In the meantime, the minister thanked all the legislators for expressing their concerns and for coming together to unanimously support the Resolution.
She said that the Resolution was being moved in the House with the intention of addressing the concerns of teachers who have been serving the education sector for years.
She said that the issue should not be viewed merely from the perspective of whether teachers can pass another examination, as many of them have already appeared in and cleared various tests during their careers.
The Minister emphasised that the contribution and years of service of these teachers need to be duly recognised while considering the matter.
Pertinently, on the first day of the debate, legislators Balwant Singh Mankotia, Ranbir Singh Pathania, Waheed Ur Rehman Para and Khursheed Ahmad Sheikh participated in the discussion and expressed their views on various aspects of the Resolution.
The debate continued on Thursday with legislators Pirzada Farooq Ahmad Shah, Nazir Ahmad Khan (Gurezi), Dr. Bashir Ahmad Shah (Veeri) also participating in the discussion and putting forth their views on the issue.
Meanwhile, a teacher delegation from Jammu interacted with Education Minister Sakina Itoo and thanked her for taking a stand for the dignity of the teachers.
“Ever since you came to power, we have started feeling that we are the teachers and mentors,” one of the teachers said. (KNO)
