Scrap apprentice system for teachers: Naidu

Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday demanded that the state government scrap apprentice system for teachers.

Expressing solidarity to United Teachers Forum, whose indefinite fast at Indira Park, demanding abolition of apprentice system, entered third day on Thursday, Naidu alleged the state government has cheated the teachers by not honouring its earlier promise of cancelling the system. He threatened that the stir would be intensified if the government does not cancel the apprentice system. The apprentice ship teachers are getting a meager Rs 120 per day compared to daily wage labourers who are earning Rs 200 daily, he said.

Stating that the TDP allotted lion’s share of funds to the education sector, he slammed the state government for catering meager funds for education. Naidu claimed that over 1.5 lakh teacher posts filled during his nine-year tenure. However, the State Government filled only 30,000 teacher posts so far, he pointed out.

The Teachers Forum appealed to Naidu to make efforts for payment of full salary for DSC 2008 teachers. Senior educationist Chukka Ramaiah and Communist Party of India state secretary K Narayana also expressed solidarity with the striking teachers.