Himachal Pradesh Primary Teachers' Federation President Ramesh Sharma has strongly opposed the proposed "complex system" for primary schools. He said the model will not solve the problems facing primary education and warned that the protest could intensify if the government does not address the teachers' concerns.
Sharma reiterated that the federation is against the new arrangement. He alleged that instead of focusing on the real challenges in primary education, the Education Department is trying to present the issue in a misleading manner before the government.
Thousands of primary teachers from different parts of the state reached Shimla on July 26 after completing a 15-day foot march. Since then, they have been continuing their protest and holding a chain hunger strike. During the protest, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu met the teachers and assured them that their concerns would be considered.
Speaking to the media, Sharma welcomed the recent meeting held to discuss the issue, which was attended by representatives of various teachers' organisations. However, he claimed that the exercise appeared aimed at preparing a report that may not accurately reflect the situation on the ground.
He said the federation's main demand is the withdrawal of the proposed complex system. According to him, all organisations that attended the meeting agreed that the new arrangement would not improve the quality of education.
Sharma stated that nearly 5,000 primary teacher posts are vacant across Himachal Pradesh. He also pointed out that there is no proper arrangement for nursery teachers. He said the biggest challenge facing schools is the shortage of teachers rather than administrative restructuring.
According to Sharma, the Education Department itself has described the complex system as a temporary arrangement. He said such short-term measures cannot improve learning outcomes or strengthen the education system. He added that Himachal Pradesh achieved excellent results in primary education under the existing setup and that the real issue is the lack of sufficient teaching staff.
He urged the government to focus on filling vacant posts instead of changing the current structure. Sharma said the state has performed well in national learning assessments and has received several recognitions for its primary education system.
The federation leader claimed that the agitation is receiving widespread support. According to him, around 20,000 primary teachers, 21,000 mid-day meal workers, nearly 10,000 multitask workers, more than 35,000 retired teachers, SMC members and panchayat representatives have backed the movement.
Sharma said the federation has confidence in Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and believes he understands the issue. However, he appealed to the Chief Minister to take decisions based on ground realities and not solely on information provided by department officials.
He said teachers have deliberately continued their protest during school holidays so that students' studies are not affected. He expressed hope that the matter would be resolved before schools fully reopen but warned that the agitation would continue in different forms if no solution is found.
Sharma also criticised the Education Minister, alleging that promises made to teachers during previous protests were never implemented. He said this has increased frustration among teachers and weakened their trust in the department.
The federation maintained that teachers remain committed to the welfare and education of children. However, it said the protest against the proposed complex system will continue until the government accepts their demands.
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