Govt-aided teachers, non-teaching staff still await for Oct salary

CHENNAI: Despite the School Education Department ordering to pay October month salary to teachers of government-aided schools recently, the salaries for high and higher secondary teachers and non-teaching staff are still pending.

The education department in early October revamped the administration set up of the department.

However, due to inefficient and proactive planning related to revamping, as many as 1.12 lakh government-aided schools were left waiting for the October month salary.

And the department cited hold up in mapping the new posts as the reason for salary delay.

Speaking to DT NEXT, a government-aided school teacher said, “Despite the department ordering the credit of the salary and pointing out the two weeks’ delay, teachers and non-teaching staff of high and higher secondary schools are yet to get their salary.”

“The teachers’ association has decided to be patient till Monday, and if the salary is further delayed, a protest has been planned. Also the Joint Action Council of Teachers' Organisations-Government Employees' Organisations (Jacto-Geo) has also called for a meeting with teachers to raise the issue to the government,” added the teacher working at a Chennai school.

Meanwhile, it is important to note that elementary teachers of aided schools received their salary recently. However, the hold-up is for high and higher secondary teachers.

For reasons such as cost cutting and effective administration the school education department shelved several posts along with reshuffling schools. Subsequently, in October the department also transferred several office bearers with more than three years’ experience in one location.

Under the Directorate of Elementary Education (DEE), about 1.08 lakh teachers are working at government-aided schools in TN. Likewise, 1.16 lakh teachers are employed in high and higher secondary government-aided schools, both amounting to 2.25 lakh teachers.