Special Correspondent
Mumbai : All government-aided and private-aided schools across Maharashtra will remain closed on July 8 and 9, as teaching and non-teaching staff have called for a statewide protest demanding the release of long-pending salary grants, retirement benefits, and implementation of approved service conditions.
The protest is being organized under the leadership of major organizations such as the Maharashtra State Headmasters’ Association and the Joint Headmasters’ Association, with thousands of educators expected to participate in a massive rally at Azad Maidan, Mumbai.
According to protest organizers, teachers and staff from all over the state will converge in Mumbai to demand that the state government fulfill its previous assurances regarding:
Immediate release of pending salary and non-salary grants. Timely disbursal of pensions and retirement dues. Regularization of teaching and non-teaching staff
“This protest is not political; it’s a fight for survival and dignity. Teachers cannot be expected to run schools without financial security and administrative justice,” said one protest leader.
With the academic year recently having begun, this strike is expected to cause temporary disruption in classroom teaching, particularly in secondary and higher secondary schools. Parents and students are advised to stay in contact with their respective schools for updated schedules after July 9.
While the education department has appealed for restraint and talks, unions have made it clear that the strike will not be withdrawn unless written commitments are made.
