RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari welcomes Bihar education dept decision to withdraw order on curtailing holidays for school teachers

Patna (Bihar) [India], September 5 : Welcoming the Bihar education department's move of withdrawing its previous order curtailing the holidays of school teachers from 23 to 11 between September to December, RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari on Tuesday said that the festivals do not hamper the studies of students in any way.
Bihar education department withdrew its controversial order curtailing the holidays of school teachers on Diwali, Durga Pooja, Raksha Bandhan, and other festivals. 
Responding to it, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader said, "They (education department) must have thought to rethink their earlier decision. The festivals including Vishwakarma Puja, and Janmashtami, do not hamper the education of students in any way." 
The Bihar secondary education department had earlier announced the reduction of holidays for teachers from 23 to 11 which led to huge furore among teachers in the state who had even warned of protests.
In many schools, teachers were seen attending classes wearing black badges. Many teachers had even gone to the extent of challenging the Additional Chief Secretary of the education department, KK Pathak. 
Several teachers had also pointed out that the attendance of students in those festive days would be, in any case, negligible.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which is in opposition in the state had also criticised the Nitish Kumar government for curtailing holidays on Rakshabandhan, Dussehra, Diwali and Chhath. 
The education department had said that it aimed to hold classes for 220 days in an academic year and hence this decision was taken.