People's Democracy

AIFUCTO Criticises UPA Govt Policies

THE national executive committee (NEC) of the All India Federation of University and College Teachers’ Organisations (AIFUCTO) has expressed its strong resentment at the delay in fulfilling the promise made by the prime minister regarding the implementation of parity for Librarians and Directors of Physical Education, Career Advancement Scheme from January 1, 1996, Third Promotion to end stagnation of senior faculty and Professorship in Colleges. 

The AIFUCTO had met the prime minister on May 17, 2006 and had deferred the protest dharna at Jantar Mantar from May 18 on his concrete assurance. The NEC demaznded that orders regarding the solution of problems be issued without further delay. While demanding strong government-funded education system, the apex body condemned privatisation, commercialisation of higher education and creation of private universities in the states like UP, Punjab, Uttaranchal and other states.

The NEC also strongly criticised the central government for going back on the NCMP promise to enact a central legislation on the Right to Education. The present move to modify the Draft Bill and send the same for enactment by the state legislatures clearly showed that the UPA was not serious about its promises. The attempt to shift the burden of providing education to the children in the age group of 6-18 to the states will not help achieve the target of ‘Education for All’ even within the next decade, AIFUCTO stated.

The NEC endorsed the view of Confederation of Central and State Government Employees and Teachers that had expressed serious concern at the central government’s move to privatise pension funds that also posed serious threat to the existing pension schemes. The failure of the central government to declare that the revised pay scales of the Sixth Central Pay Commission would be implemented from 01-01-2006 and to sanction Rs 1000 per month towards Interim Relief was criticised by the AIFUCTO. The AIFUCTO along with the Confederation of Central and State Government Employees and Teachers will take part in the nation-wide strike on December 14, 2006. The AIFUCTO called upon teachers throughout the country to expose the anti-employee policies of the central government including the move to privatise the pension scheme and to demand that this move be scrapped forthwith. 

The AIFUCTO condemned the move to amend the Right to Information Act, 2005 in such a way as to defeat the very purpose of the enactment. 

The NEC also discuss the Kerala Act on Professional Education, appreciated it and decided to counter the move by vested interests to scuttle this progressive piece of legislation.

Professor Thomas Joseph, national president presided over the meeting and general secretary Dr V K Tewari presented the Report in the NEC. (INN)