Part-time govt teachers not paid for over a year
Despite a regular budget released every year, part-time instructors in government schools in the state, coming under Centre’s Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan, have been denied their salaries for over a year now.
As many as 2,600 families that depend on this income are on the verge of collapse due to non-payment of salaries on the pretext of ‘Covid-19 coumpulsions’, several vocational teachers working in various government schools across the state have said.
Rayees Fathima, state vice-president of Telengana Art Craft PET's Teachers Union said that due to nonavailability of jobs given the pandemic, many anguished teachers have committed suicide because the government did not address their demands for release of salaries and permanent appointments.
“Schools have not
reopened in over 18 months. Ironically, while other government teachers are getting their salaries regularly, despite several representations and assurances from the government authorities, we are being denied. How do they think that we can manage?” she wondered.
Another grievance of vocational teachers pertains to the difference in salaries for teachers in neighbouring states under the same Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan scheme.
“Part-time instructors in Telangana received about `9, 000 as salary whereas in states like Kerala it is over `30,000 per month. Why do we see such a huge difference, when all of us are hired and reengaged each year under the same scheme and the same GO?” asked a teacher.
Government authorities, including education minister Sabitha Indra Reddy, have claimed that they have met them over the past several months, and assured to resolve the issue soon. However, there has been no change till date even as teachers are subject to anguish and turmoil.
“We have been told that because the government is now supporting private teachers through the `2000 cash and 25-kg ration scheme, they don't have the money to give to us. But when were funds released exclusively for us?” D. Sandeep Kumar, a part-time crafts teacher in Hyderabad, said.
While this correspondent tried to contact state education department officials, there was no response from them.