Private school teachers air woes on Teachers Day
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 05 2019: Even as the State Government has been organizing State level Teachers Day celebration on September 5 every year where Government teachers are honoured by conferring awards, many private school teachers have been suffering silently on account of absence of a State policy which could address their grievances, particularly the appalling situation caused by their meagre salaries.

Some teachers who do not want to disclose their identities for fear of being sacked or reprisal from the school authorities, expressed strong desire to enact and implement a policy in the State which could fix their salaries at a standard rate.

Speaking to The Sangai Express at a few schools in Imphal, some teachers informed that they are being paid salaries ranging from Rs 3,500 to 6000 which some of the lady teachers said in a lighter vein that their salaries cannot afford even their make-up cost and vehicle petrol.

When asked about their working hours, they claimed that they generally work at least 7 hours in a day.

"I have to come before 9 in the morning and take 5 classes regularly in an almost uninterrupted manner.

On top of this, I have to engage in school activities for long hours which sometimes extend till 6 or 7 pm", a lady teacher said.

They said that they are becoming quite used to school Principals' reprimanding and harsh words barked out regularly on the pretext of maintaining strict norms in schools.

Responding to a query about concealing their appalling situation instead of highlighting them to the State Government, the teachers expressed apprehension that they would be sacked or punitive action may be taken against them by school authorities if they do so.

However, they expressed their keen desire for a policy in the State to be followed by all private schools for maintaining a standard minimum wage (salary) for school teachers.

Meanwhile, CPI, Manipur State Council underscored the need for State Government's intervention in addressing the plights and problems of private school teachers and teachers of Government-aided schools.

CPI, Manipur State Council secretariat member RK Amusana attributed the plights and problems of private school teachers to the absence of a Government policy regarding the work system and salaries of private schools in the State.

He decried that the State Government has been proudly claiming to be working for improvement of the education sector with the introduction of 'School Fagathansi' programme while turning a blind eye to such unhealthy working conditions and defects in the State's education sector.

The CPI veteran leader went on to inform that private school teachers do not have the capability to form unions or boldly participate in the movement for hiking their paltry wages/salaries due to the "hire and fire" working system employed by school authorities.

"If private school teachers boldly take part in any such movement or publicly reveal their plights, they will be fired.

Hence, the State Government should maintain a standard regulation regarding the working conditions of private school teachers and their salaries", he added.

Conveying that Meghalaya Government strictly regulates private educational institutions, including salary by implementing a well-designed policy, CPI, MSC assistant secretary Kh Surchand Singh lamented that the conditions of private school teachers in the State are horribly bad owing to the 'hire and fire' attitude of school authorities.

Teachers in private schools do not enjoy job security nor economic security, he continued adding that CPI, MSC had considered the matter in one of its meeting in the recent past.

He further stressed on the growing need for the State Government to look into the plights and problems of private school teachers and teachers of Government aided schools, and take up remedial measures if Government is really keen to uplift the education sector.

Noting that there are many unapproved teachers in Government aided schools who have been enduring extreme misery owing to the failure of the State Government to address their plights, Surchand stated that the problem of the Government-aided school teachers might have been mitigated if the State Government had absorbed the said teachers in phase manners at the time of recruiting Government teachers.

Mere publicity would not make 'School Fagathansi' programme" a success or take forward the State's education sector until and unless the Government effectively address the plight of private school teachers and teachers of Government aided schools, the CPI leader said.

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