Gandhinagar witnesses major protest as physical education teachers demand jobs

Gandhinagar : For the past ten days, Gandhinagar has witnessed a relentless protest by physical education teachers demanding permanent recruitment and job security. The agitation, which began on March 17, reached a boiling point on Wednesday when the protesting teachers attempted to march towards the Gujarat Assembly. However, before they could reach Gate No. 1, they were detained by the police, leading to further outrage among the protestors.

The Gujarat government has implemented the ‘Khel Sahayak Yojana’ as a solution for physical education teachers, but the protestors have outrightly rejected the scheme, calling it inadequate and unfair. The teachers argue that the policy fails to protect their rights and jeopardizes students’ sports education by replacing coaches too frequently.

“The government’s policy is not in the interest of teachers or students. Under this scheme, students barely get proper coaching, and before they can progress, their contract-based coach is removed,” said one of the protesting teachers.

The protestors claim that the 11-month contract system is deeply flawed. Many teachers are terminated verbally without written notice, and there is no clarity on salary payments once the contract period ends. Additionally, leave policies are inconsistent across districts, and some teachers even report delayed or missing salaries, especially in February.

The protesting teachers have been protesting:  No uniform leave policy for sports assistants, Unclear salary structure after the 11-month contract period, Verbal terminations without written notice or official circular, Delayed or missing salary payments, particularly in some districts, Unnecessary contract renewals, increasing job insecurity.

With the protests escalating, the Gandhinagar police have increased security around the Assembly and other government offices. Despite police intervention, the teachers have vowed not to leave Gandhinagar until their demands are met.

The teachers have repeatedly appealed to the government but claim that no concrete action has been taken. Their primary demands include: Permanent recruitment of physical education teachers, stalled for over 15 years, and hiring full-time physical education teachers in primary schools to ensure continuous training for students.

“We are fighting for our rights and for the future of sports in Gujarat. Without permanent teachers, students suffer, and our careers remain uncertain,” said another protestor.