The Goa Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) has renewed the contracts of 168 para-teachers for the current academic year 2012-13, following orders from the chief minister of Goa. The para-teachers had approached Parrikar, who is also the education minister, to resolve the matter of their appointment.
Para-teachers are employed by the Goa SSA on an annual contract basis and their services are employed in government primary schools.
Para-teachers’ job involves assisting government primary teachers, especially in teaching English as the regional language teachers may lack the English language skills. Services of para-teachers are also used where schools have single teachers or there are fewer teachers available as against the enrolment. The para-teachers had held a protest in September 2009 demanding that their services be regularised and that they be brought on par with government servants.
