Teachers yet to get dues for last year’s valuation: KHSTU

Valuation of answer scripts for Plus One and Plus Two higher secondary examinations this year is set to begin in a fortnight, but remuneration for teachers for valuation of answer scripts of both the classes for 2023 is still pending, the Kerala Higher Secondary Teachers’ Union (KHSTU) has said.

Insufficient allocation

The union said an amount of ₹8.88 crore was sanctioned initially last year. This was sufficient to pay only a few teachers in each of the 80 higher secondary valuation camps that functioned then. A few months later, nearly ₹4.4 crore was sanctioned. However, even with the payment of this instalment, remuneration for revaluation remained pending, the union alleged.

The department, it said, charged ₹240 from students for valuation of Plus One answer scripts and ₹270 (it includes ₹30 for migration certificate) for Plus Two answer scripts. Nearly 8.5 lakh students had appeared for the Plus Two examinations, it pointed out.

The higher secondary teachers were also not paid for valuation of answer scripts for the Plus One improvement examinations. The department charged ₹200 from students for valuation of each improvement paper, subject to a maximum of three papers, the KHSTU said.

The remuneration for teachers came to ₹24 crore. Of this, ₹11 crore was still due; the rest had been paid. The money would be paid at the earliest, higher secondary sources said.

Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty said the State was going through a financial crisis. They would be remunerated as soon as the financial situation improved.