Hold referendum for higher secondary alone: AHSTA

The Aided Higher Secondary Teachers’ Association (AHSTA) has alleged that a referendum planned by the General Education department ahead of the high school and higher secondary merger for school unification is anti-democratic.

In a statement here recently, AHSTA alleged that the referendum was intended to do away with higher secondary teachers’ organisations that intervened in service issues and promotions in the higher secondary sector. Since the situation in the higher secondary – be it in terms of curriculum, textbooks, teacher qualification, appointment or Plus One admissions – is different from that of secondary, its problems should be addressed separately. While conducting the referendum, steps should be taken to recognise teachers’ organisations that have 25% representation in the higher secondary sector. Failure to recognise higher secondary teachers’ organisations in the name of category organisations in public education cannot be justified. AHSTA has called for a referendum for the higher secondary sector alone.