Members of the Recognised Private Primary Teachers' Association, who were not covered by the Fifth Pay Commission report, took this decision at a recent meeting at Gandhibuag. Coming down heavily upon officials of the education department, the angry teachers said by recognising innumerable schools, the department had harmed the interests of students and education.

As a result of haphazard recognition, Surat has as many as 290 such institutions, making a mockery of quality education, they alleged, adding that officials granted recognition with pointed out claiming that recognition was granted without an inspection of facilities.

The agitating teachers accused officials of indulging in corruption and giving early recognition for monetary consideration.

Association president Deepakbhai Patel alleged that some managements were playing with the future of children by closing the schools halfway through a term. The managements were flouting recruitment norms, he charged, adding that none of them were ever taken to task by education department officials.

The association further alleged that some teachers were made to resign under duress by private school managements as also by the Nagar Prathamik Shikshan Samiti of the Surat Municipal Corporation. However, despite complaints to the district education officer and civic administrative officer, no action had been taken against erring officials, they claimed.

The teachers alleged that District Education Officer Punambhai Patel did not take prompt action on the complaints of violation of Schedule F by managements while recruiting teachers.

The agitating teachers will meet in front of the Mahatma Gandhi's statue at Chowk Bazaar and take out a rally on Monday. They will submit a memorandum to Patel and District Collector R M Shah.