If you hike fees,hike our pay too: teachers

He said most schools have only temporary appointments and hence the salaries offered are low. These teachers are told that they would have to work for six-eight months. So from the joining date till the end of the period they have to serve,they are paid only that salary. The management finds it easier to appoint teachers on a temporary basis as they do not have to pay the full salary.”

The forum has demanded that if the GR has to be implemented,where teachers are to be paid according to the recommendations of the SPC,only permanent teachers get paid and not temporary teachers. This will make it mandatory for the private unaided schools to take on teachers on a permanent basis and this would benefit both the teachers as well as the students. Students suffer when teachers come and leave before the portion is completed,h said Chavan.

The forum further points out that the July 22,1999 GR which gives schools the right to increase fees be cancelled as it would only increase the pressure on parents if the school management increases the fees every year according to the 1999 GR as well as the present GR.

A monitoring committee to assess the increase in salary has to be appointed so that it is ensured that the teachers get the salary according to the recommendations of the SPC. The forum will put forth their demands to the state education department soon.

Teachers working in private schools say they have been given a raw deal. Having had the formal Bachelors’ in Education degrees as well as other supporting degrees,most unaided schools offer very low salaries to teachers. Most unaided schools are interested in developing their infrastructure and constructing more buildings and all the money collected from the students go towards the management and not towards the salaries,said a teacher.