Primary teachers take on state in Mumbai

Over 10,000 primary school teachers from aided and unaided schools protested against the non-implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission in their schools.

Teachers have threatened the state that they will not allow schools to reopen until their demands are met. Even as schools are hiking their fees citing the Sixth pay Commission, teachers claim they are not receiving the benefits. They have given the state, BMC a May 1 deadline to resolve the issue.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which is responsible for primary education in the city is yet to pass the order allowing Sixth Pay Commission salaries for these teachers.
According to Mahesh Mulmule from the Bhartiya Kamgaar Sena, Shikshan Vibhag, the BMC and state government have been ignoring primary school teachers for a long time.

“Arrears have not been paid to teachers since 2005. Even the new payscale has not been implemented. The BMC is misusing the grants meant for teachers' salaries,” Mulmule asked.

“This time we are planning to not go to school in the next academic year, if they don’t resolve our problems,” he added.