Around 2,000 Zilla Parishad teachers from Nashik district participated in a massive state-wide protest. The protest, " Akrosh Morcha" which was held at the Golf Club Ground in Nashik, saw participation from 22 teachers' unions, raising various demands against the government's policies affecting educators.
Divisional President of Maharashtra State Primary Teachers Association, Prithvibaba Shirsath, highlighted that teachers are burdened with around 102 types of non-academic tasks. These include updating non-academic information online, preparing food menus for school children, and completing government scheme documentation. According to Shirsath, these additional responsibilities distract teachers from their primary duty—teaching students, leaving education neglected.
After the protest, representatives submitted a letter of demand to the district collector. One of the major demands was the end of contract-based teacher hiring. "Teachers are the backbone of society, and the future of children depends on them. Recruitment should follow the proper procedure, and contract-based hiring should be stopped," said Prakash Ahire, District President of Nashik Maharashtra State Primary Teachers Committee.
Other demands included the replacement of cloth distribution for school uniforms with ready-made uniforms. Leaders like Pradeep Pekhale, Sanjay Pagar, Ramesh Gohil, and others were present, uniting with teachers from across 36 districts in Maharashtra, as the protest echoed state-wide.
The protest aimed to address the ongoing challenges faced by educators and to bring attention to the need for reforms in the education system.