Aided school teachers not paid salaries for over six months

The Aided Schools Union, Punjab, has called out the ‘pathetic’ attitude of the government as the salaries of C&V (Crafts and Vocations) teachers have not been paid for the last seven months. Pradeep Sareen, vice-president of Aided Schools Management Association, Punjab, said it was shocking that the grants of all aided school employees were released except for C&V teachers, causing them financial distress.

Sareen said that the Education Department is also not complying with the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and Finance Department notification that states that Sixth Pay Commission recommendations be implemented for aided school employees.

“The PTIs and drawing teachers of aided schools, who improve the mental and physical health of children, have themselves suffered financial losses as they have been deprived of salaries for seven months. Even after the High Court order and the Finance Department notification, the Education Department is showing reluctance in implementing the recommendations of the sixth pay panel for the aided school employees,” he said.

The DPI office, in a meeting with members of aided schools management, had mentioned that due to the objections of the Finance Department, the Education Department is unable to issue grants to these teachers. PTI and drawing teachers of government schools get a basic salary of Rs 4,400, they also get the benefits of Sixth Pay Commission from July 1, 2021, while the aided school teachers are being deprived of salaries. The Education Department is adamant on bringing these teachers of aided schools (C&V cadre) to Rs 3,200 grade pay, that too only for four months, from March 2024 to June 2024. The union has made a strong appeal to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema to look into the matter immediately and hold a meeting between the union and departmental officers to resolve the issue and release the grants.

Out of 9,700 posts, only about 1,500 employees are working in these schools at present. “As most posts are vacant, the condition of these schools is deteriorating. It is also important to mention here that the responsibility for maintenance and management of these schools lies with the managing committees, for which no assistance is given by the government,” said Sareen.