Himachal Primary Teachers End 15‑Day March, Call for Rollback of School Complex System

After a grueling 15‑day trek across the hills of Himachal Pradesh, hundreds of primary‑school teachers finally gathered in Shimla on Sunday, waving banners that read “Save Primary Education”. The march, organised by the Himachal Pradesh Primary Teachers’ Federation, was meant to shine a light on what they call a disastrous “School Complex System” introduced last year.

Ramesh Sharma, the federation’s president, addressed the crowd with a mix of fatigue and resolve. He warned that the new administrative structure – which places 15 to 20 schools under a single principal – is chipping away at the decades‑old model where each school had its own head. “Our teachers, our JBT staff, nursery workers – everyone feels the strain,” Sharma said, his voice occasionally cracking from the long walk.

Among the protestors was Prakash, a specially‑abled teacher from Karsog in Mandi district. He recalled starting the foot‑march on July 11 and emphasized that the central demand is simple: “Withdraw the School Complex System completely. It’s hurting primary education.” He added that roughly 20,000 active teachers, almost 40,000 retirees and many other education‑sector employees stand behind the movement.

The demonstration also drew in mid‑day‑meal staff, multi‑task workers and even teachers from remote tribal pockets like Pangi and Dodra Kwar. Their collective grievance is that the new system scrambles teacher deployment, stretches principals thin, and ultimately undermines the quality of primary schooling.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu arrived later in the day at Chaura Maidan, where he pledged to “review and amend” the complex arrangement. He announced the formation of a committee to study the issue and assured that any FIRs lodged against teachers during earlier protests would be withdrawn. “If the system needs to be scrapped, we will consider that,” he told the assembled crowd.

Despite the CM’s assurances, the federation’s statement made it clear that the hunger strike will continue until concrete changes are seen on the ground. “We will not stop until the system is either re‑worked to meet our needs or withdrawn entirely,” Sharma warned, hinting at a possible escalation of state‑wide agitation.

The episode underscores a growing tension in Himachal’s education sector – a clash between policy makers seeking administrative efficiency and teachers defending a hands‑on, school‑centric approach that they say has served the state well for generations.