Bhubaneswar, Nov. 26: Agitating teachers and employees of 1,982 block grant high schools in the state today rejected the government’s decision to go for a performance-based financial grants system.

“When no such rule exists for government employees in other sectors, why should the teaching community be subjected to performance measurement? It’s undemocratic to take such a decision and thrust it on poor teachers who are already struggling to make a living with a meagre salary of Rs 2,500,” said Prasanta Pati, general secretary of the block grant secondary school teachers and employees association.

The state cabinet on Friday had approved the performance-based block grants for high schools, upper primary schools and girls’ high schools by evaluating the average performance of the schools in the past three years.

Members of the association today threatened to continue the cease work and launch a mass movement on November 29.