Lack of finances forces part-time teachers to withdraw protest

CHENNAI: Faced with several financial constraints, thousands of dejected part-time teachers withdrew a 12-day protest across Tamil Nadu on Saturday.

More than 5,000 part-time teachers have been protesting for almost two weeks demanding the State government to regularise their posts within the School Education Department.

Representing the Tamil Nadu All Part-time Teachers Federation, thousands of faculties have urged the government to regularise 12,000 posts, employed in 2012. Speaking to DT Next, P Gowthaman, secretary of the federation, said, “Due to our current position as ‘part-time teachers’, we’re deprived of May-month salary and have only received pay for June (Rs 12,500). Due to lack of financial support and family responsibilities, and many protestors being admitted in the hospital, we have decided to temporarily withdraw the demonstration.”

Meanwhile, part-time teachers alleged that despite serving in schools for over 14 years, they have been drawing a meagre salary of Rs 12,500/month. Employed in 2012 for Rs 5,000/month, teachers saw a marginal increase to Rs 7,000 in 2014, Rs 7,700 in 2017, Rs 10,000 in 2021 and lastly to Rs 12,500 in 2024.

The association members also point out that the ruling DMK government, which came to power in 2021 under the banner of the ‘Dravidian model’, had promised in its election manifesto to regularise part-time teachers and ensure ‘equal pay for equal work’. However, they lamented that the government had fallen short of its promises.

A part-time teacher working at a Kancheepuram government school stressed that their demand to the government was to regularise 12,000 staff with working days with an increase in salary as government teachers. “This time, we cannot be silenced into agreeing to a marginal salary hike. We demand job regularisation and will resume protest until the government pays heed,” the part-time teacher echoed.