Margao, 6 September 2026: Former GPCC Amit Patkar today said that Goa can no longer celebrate teachers symbolically while thousands of teaching and non-teaching employees continue to struggle with low salaries, contractual uncertainty, delayed payments, lack of recognition and unresolved service matters.
Patkar was speaking at the Teachers’ Town Hall organised at Gomant Vidya Niketan, Margao, where teachers and non-teaching employees from different sections of Goa’s education system were given an open platform to directly place their experiences, difficulties and demands.
The programme also saw the participation of Goa Forward Party President and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai and AAP MLA Capt. Venzy Viegas, reflecting a broader coming together on issues affecting Goa’s education fraternity.
Patkar thanked both leaders for joining the initiative and said that when an issue concerns teachers and the future of Goa’s children, political boundaries must not become barriers.
“I sincerely thank Vijai-bab Sardesai and Capt. Venzy Viegas for being part of this Town Hall. We may belong to different political parties, we may have differences on many issues, but the cause of Goa’s teachers cannot belong to one party. When teachers are suffering, every responsible political leader has a duty to stand with them.”
Patkar said that this was precisely why he had earlier approached Vijai Sardesai on the issue of salaries of employees of minority educational institutions.
“When more than 450 teaching and non-teaching employees were waiting for their salaries, I did not ask which party should get the credit. I approached Vijai-bab because he could raise the issue effectively in the Assembly. The issue was about employees receiving their rightful salary, not about whose political flag was behind the demand.”
He said that the same principle must guide politics in Goa.
“Good politics is not about asking who gets the credit. Good politics is about asking whether the problem of the people has been solved.”
Patkar said the voices heard during the Town Hall demonstrated that the problems confronting Goa’s education workforce are far deeper than individual cases.
Pre-primary teachers have spoken about remuneration reportedly as low as ₹5,000 to ₹10,000 per month. Contractual and lecture-basis teachers continue to raise questions about permanence and continuity. Teaching and non-teaching employees have struggled with salary delays, service benefits, appointments, promotions and administrative uncertainty.
“These are not files. These are families. Behind every pending salary is a household waiting to pay its bills. Behind every contractual appointment is a teacher who does not know whether he or she will have a job next year.”
Patkar said the Government cannot continue using teachers as a convenient workforce while denying them long-term security.
“You cannot demand permanent commitment from teachers while giving them temporary security.”
He questioned why employees have repeatedly been forced to approach politicians, courts, associations and the media for matters that a responsive administration should resolve routinely.
“Why should a teacher have to agitate for a salary already earned? Why should somebody serve Goa’s education system for ten or fifteen years and still wake up every morning uncertain about his or her future?”
Referring to Teachers’ Day celebrations, Patkar said respect for teachers must be reflected through policy rather than ceremony.
“One bouquet on Teachers’ Day cannot compensate for 364 days of uncertainty.”
He demanded a comprehensive and time-bound review of issues affecting pre-primary, primary, secondary and higher-secondary teachers, vocational and lecture-basis teachers, librarians, contractual employees and non-teaching staff, with clear decisions on remuneration, regularisation, pending salaries, service conditions, vacancies, benefits and social security.
Patkar said the Town Hall would not end with speeches.
“We have listened today. Now these voices must travel from this hall to the Assembly, to the Education Department and to the Government. Every genuine issue raised here will be documented and pursued.”
He said the presence of leaders from different opposition parties also sent an important message.
“If Goa’s opposition can stand together for our teachers, why can the Government not sit across the table with them and solve their problems?”
Patkar added that Goa needs a new culture of public politics where people’s issues are placed ahead of individual political interests.
“I do not want this Town Hall to be remembered because Amit Patkar organised it. I want it to be remembered because teachers spoke, Goa listened and their voices ultimately brought change.”
Concluding, Patkar said:
“Teachers do not need sympathy. They need justice. They do not need another promise. They need decisions.”
“Those who give our children a future deserve certainty about their own future.”
“Today we listened. From tomorrow, the responsibility is to act.”
Amit Patkar
Former President, GPCC
