vf[ky Hkkjrh; izkFkfed f’k{kd la?k ALL INDIA PRIMARY TEACHERS' FEDERATION DELHI OFFICE Shikshak Bhawan, 41, Institutional Area, D-Block, Janakpuri, New Delhi-110058, INDIA Regd. No. 14/1957-58 Tele: +91-28522606, 28526238, E-mail: [email protected], www.aiptfindia.org 12th June 2020 PATRON To, Jagdambika Pal (M.P.) Sh. Narendra Modi PRESIDENT Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Ram Pal Singh (Uttar Pradesh) Government of India SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT New Delhi - 21 Dr. Ram Chandra Dabas (Delhi) Geeta Pandey (Uttar Pradesh) Hon’ble Sh. Modi Ji, VICE PRESIDENT Greetings and good wishes! Basavaraj Gurikar (Karnataka) Digvijaysinh D. .Jadeja (Gujarat) Ashok Chauhan (Uttarakhand) We appreciate the efforts and measures taken by the Government of India to revive the Indian Ram Avtar Pandey (Bihar) economy and exemplary skills shown by you in handling the crisis of migratory population, Soniya S. Mangaonkar (Goa) hunger, health, social security etc. However, the pandemic has increased economic insecurity, profoundly disrupted supply chains and halted manufacturing. SECRETARY GENERAL Kamala Kanta Tripathy (Odisha) When various factors result in losses in household income, expectations that children JOINT SECRETARY GENERAL contribute financially will intensify. More children could be forced into exploitative and N. Rengarajan (Tamilnadu) hazardous jobs. Those already working may do so for longer hours or under worsening Dy. SECRETARY GENERAL conditions. Gender inequalities may grow more acute within families. Beena Adideo (Jharkhand) Ghanshyam Pd. Yadav (Bihar) On this World Day Against Child Labour, the AIPTF was engaged in on-line consultations with different actors, unions, CSOs and teachers in 25 state affiliates of India as part of India’s civil SECRETARY society and representatives of teachers we had come together to understand the impact of F. C. Shullai (Meghalaya) Nimai Ch. Mandal (W. Bengal) the COVID pandemic on children’s rights, their education and well- being of children and Sanjay Kumar Mishra (U. P.) teachers. Jibon Chandra Borah (Assam) Hem Raj Thakur (H.P.) A set of key common recommendations have emerged are presented below. These take into F. Lalramliani (Mizoram) consideration the fundamental right of children in the Constitution of India, the RTE Act 2009 and India’s commitment under Sustainable Development Goals (4, 5 and 8) to address the TREASURER needs of India’s children in the current situation and in recovery phase: P. Harigovindan (Kerala) ORGANISING SECRETARY 1. Temporary school closures are significantly affecting the education of children. While Subhash Chander (Punjab) schooling systems have mobilized a range of innovative online and other distance Vinod Thakran (Haryana) learning measures, these have by no means benefited all children in all places and all A.G.S. Ganapathi Rao (A.P.) social classes. Education through online platforms and TV is not reaching the majority Harish Kr. Maran (M.P.) of India’s children. Only 15% rural households have access to internet. Keilyani Devi (Manipur) 2. A combination of offline and online means of instruction along with supportive INTERNAL AUDITOR measures like home delivery of textbooks, play and print materials and planning for Chandra P. Sharma (Rajasthan) accelerated learning on re-opening of closed schools by state governments should be explored. 3. Enable teachers for delivering quality education and ensuring well-being of children and teachers, their professional development and creating conducive environment for learning while keeping in mind gender perspective. 4. Teachers are at the frontline of the response to the pandemic. Steps need to be taken to support them through provision of personal protection equipment, masks etc. On the other hand their rights must be safeguarded as it has been reported from many states that an irrational deduction in salaries have been imposed on them. AIPTF 5. Since the teachers have been actively supporting Government as CORONA warriors, Golden Jubilee therefore insurance of teachers must be done to support their life and family. Conference 6. A dedicated task force on issues of education and child rights may be created including appropriate representation from the teaching profession. Cont…2/- -2- 7. Capacities of teachers need to be built not only to enable them to deliver education in these difficult times, but also to ensure physical and mental well-being of children as well as teachers. 8. Appropriate representation of teachers or their organizations in formulation of policies for children, re-opening of schools, re-framing the curricula, changes in academic calendar should be ensured. 9. The AIPTF strongly believes that relaxation of labour laws has far reaching and adverse implications on the rights and well-being of workers as well as teachers, more importantly on child labourers. 10. Lack of decent working conditions and focus on safety measures at work places, reduction in welfare benefits, for teachers and workers as well as their families, provided by employers can lead to increased vulnerability among marginalised groups. 11. The AIPTF believes that workers and teachers should have the right to choose their working conditions (including overtime) and unionize to demand for better working conditions and hold employers accountable. 12. The AIPTF demands that efficient monitoring mechanisms are put in place to prevent exploitation and abuse. We strongly believe and demand that a multi-pronged strategy with comprehensive plan of action should be prepared as soon as possible to reduce the adverse impact on children, teachers and workers with participation of all major stakeholders so that educators who are mainly responsible for elimination of child labour can work in sync with other partners. We would be honoured to receive an acknowledgement from your office as a receipt of this letter. With best regards (Ram Pal Singh) President, AIPTF June 11, 2020 To, The Office Bearers / President / General Secretary All State Affiliates of AIPTF Sub: Make Your Voice Clear to Public against Privatization and Contractual Employment on Social media Dear Colleague, Greetings and Good wishes! We hope you are safe and engaged in working for your students and schools to make them ready when they re-open after the pandemic. You all are aware that issues of privatization in the school education sector, teachers being appointed on contract basis, social security in the form of pension etc. are always been the priority for All India Primary Teachers’ Federation and state affiliates also. In the above cited context, Indian Public Service Employees Federation has launched a campaign to raise our voice against privatization as this pandemic has proved that it is only government employees who came forward to serve the community in a health emergency whether it is doctors, ASHA workers, police, teachers and others. This has proved that it is only government employees who can play an important role in the welfare of humankind. The Campaign is scheduled as follows: 14thJune 2020 Curbing privatization of Educational services, health, public transport, electricity, water, public distribution system. We can demand for strengthening of public education system especially during and post pandemic era as on-line teaching open up venues for private players to flourish; 21st June 2020 Pension is necessary not only for government employees but for everyone as social protection for every citizen should be ensured. We can also raise our demand for revival of Old Pension scheme; 28thJune 2020 Appointment of teachers on contractual basis which is demotivating youth to join the teaching profession and adversely affecting the quality of education and teachers’ rights are not protected. We can lobby for appointment of teachers against permanent vacancies to reduce the shortage of teachers; 1st July 2020 We will take a pledge that with challenges, difficulties on our path, we are committed to improve, strengthen the government structure especially for the services like education, health, pension system etc. We are hopeful and confident that you will make optimum use of social media to raise your voice in the public and other policymakers, stakeholders who matter most. Although this is a joint initiative by All India Committee of Indian Public Service Employees’ Federation but we should extend all possible support as strengthening government system for sectors like education will certainly benefit our members and provide a platform to raise our voice for other demands too. This initiative will lend us support and strong base from the common people. With Best Regards (Ram Pal Singh) President, AIPTF June 9, 2020 To, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman Ji Minister of Finance of India Room No. 134 North Block, New Delhi-110001 [email protected] Subject: An appeal by AIPTF to the Government of India to protect the rights of Children and Teachers during the COVID -19 pandemic. Respected Smt. Sitharaman Ji, Greetings and good wishes from AIPTF! AIPTF acknowledges the initiatives taken by the Government to control the health and economic crises arising from pandemic in the country. We recognize the gravity of the situation and feel that much more could done in the middle of this unprecedented crisis. AIPTF as a representative body of elementary teacher’s had come together to understand the impact of the COVID pandemic on children’s education especially on girls children and well- being of children and teachers. A set of key common recommendations have emerged from the e-consultation held on 6th June , 2020 with women teachers from different states of the country is presented below . These take into consideration the fundamental rights of children as enshrined in the Constitution of India, the RTE Act 2009 and India’s commitment under Sustainable Development Goals (4 & 5) to address the needs of India’s children in the current situation and in recovery phase. 1. Online education for India is not the solution; Education through online platforms and TV is not reaching the majority of India’s children. Only 15% rural households have access to internet and 69.3 million have DTH subscription in India.