A section of the assistant teachers of government primary schools is scheduled to begin an indefinite work abstention programme from today, demanding their pay hike and promotion.

The teachers, under the Primary Assistant Teachers’ Association Unity Council, will enforce their indefinite work abstention as their demands were not met even after observing half-day work abstention between November 25 and November 27.

Though the government had earlier, in the face of their movement, announced to upgrade their salaries to the 11th grade from the 13th grade, the government is yet to take any visible action, such as issuing a gazette regarding its announcement of upgrading their salaries, they said.

They warned that they would also not take part in examination duties during their non-stop work abstention.

Their three-point demand is upgrading the entry-level assistant teacher position to the 11th grade from the existing 13th grade, removing the barriers to achieve higher grades for the teachers who are 10 years and 16 years into the job, and appointing all head teachers from the pool of assistant teachers through promotion.

The unity council teachers enforced a work-abstention programme of different lengths between May 5 and May 29 this year.

Another section of the government assistant primary schools teachers on November 10 withdrew their countrywide three-day work abstention programme and a sit-in at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital after the government promised them upgrading their salaries to the 11th grade.

The section, under the banner of Primary Teachers’ Demand Implementation Council, demanded an upgrade to their salaries to the 10th grade.

They also announced to begin work abstention from today.