There is an analogy between Teachers? Day and Labour Day. Both days aim at commemorating the struggle of workers and of course, Teachers Day is a special day for teachers.

When UNESCO proposed Teachers Day on 5 October, it had aimed at giving teachers their dues, at recognizing the value of teachers and at commemorating the struggle of teachers.That struggle didn?t come as a miracle but out of sufferings and sacrifice.

Teachers have been forced to swallow the sour pill of Fusion against their will. And teachers don?t blame anybody except their own representatives who had done back biting to them. Nobody mandated them to discuss Fusion with PRB , and yet, they went to depone in favour of Fusion ; as if Fusion is the remedy of all ills of teachers.

DHT?s are living in a trauma. They will have to compete with others for promotion to become HT. And still those who ought to have defended DHT?s didn?t do so but kept on effecting their check-offs. The allowances for NLNS have been integrated in the salaries and certain representatives have applauded that idea. Next year these allowances will phase out and can never be claimed nor increased. The phasing out of ICT classes next year means that teachers will have to teach ICT. Again they are praising the PRB Report. These days teachers feel that there is nobody to stand by their side. Ralliement des Démocrates reassures teachers that we are the real voice of teachers.We have always been by the side of teachers and are still doing same though we are not in power. If we were in power, we would have raised our voices against Fusion and in favour of seniority for the promotion of DHT?s. Teachers Day is the occasion to reanimate that force which certain representatives have wished to stagnate. By so doing teachers will prove of what mettle they are made.

Sunilduth MUNGUR</B>