School Students Take To Streets Over Teacher Shortage Minister Holds Talks

Students of Jai Prakash Narayan Sarvodaya School in Lucknow's Para took to streets on Friday morning over the shortage of subject teachers and subsequent disruption of studies, prompting officials to intervene and hold talks with them.

Around 9 am, the students came out of the school premises and gathered on Buddheshwar-Mohan Road, where they staged a protest, blocking vehicular movement for about 30 minutes. On receiving information, a team from Para police station reached the spot and spoke to the protesters. During the interaction, the students said their studies were being affected due to the shortage of subject teachers and other “irregularities” at the school.

Police pacified the students and moved them from the road back to the school premises. Traffic was later cleared and normal movement restored. The students were seated in the school’s meeting hall, where officials from the social welfare department, along with school teachers, held talks with them to address their grievances.

Assistant commissioner of police, Kakori, later camped at the spot with adequate force. Officials said the situation was normal and traffic was moving smoothly.

Social welfare minister Asim Arun reached the school and spoke to the students. Later, he said the protest by the school students over disruption to their studies was linked to a pending court case that had temporarily kept some teachers away from duty.

Speaking after interacting with the protesting students, he said, “There are several Jai Prakash Narayan Sarvodaya Vidyalayas run by the social welfare department where quality education is being imparted. But due to a court case, some of our teachers have not been able to contribute for some time. I understand the students’ studies have been affected for the past month.”

He said he happened to pass by the school when the students were protesting. “I requested them and they immediately agreed. We sat inside and had a long discussion for two hours. I am satisfied that our children are not protesting for cheating or attendance. They are protesting for quality education,” he said.

Arun said the next hearing in the case is scheduled for August 17. “I am confident that the stay will be lifted and all our good teachers will return,” he said.

Addressing the students’ concerns over NEET-JEE coaching, he assured them that the department had made special arrangements for the coaching and was working to strengthen them further.

Calling it a “pleasant coincidence” that he met the students, he said the interaction had helped him understand their problems and that the issue would be resolved across all such schools in Uttar Pradesh.