4,000 teachers work without pay at govt-aided schools in Karnataka

Future of about 4,000 teachers who are working at state government-aided schools is in jeopardy.

They are working without any payment from the school managements and even the state government has stated it cannot release the grant for the schools that came up after 1991.

In the 2010-11 budget, the then chief minister BS Yeddyurappa had promised to provide grants to schools that started before 1995.

But now the state government is saying it would not release the funds. “Now the government has changed its mind and says it would release the grants only for schools which were started between 1987 and 1991,” said a representative of an aided school based in Bangalore.

As per the information available with state primary and secondary education department, around 600 aided schools are waiting for the grants.

On the number of teachers expecting to get salaries from the grant, which is pending before the government, an official said, “There are about 600 schools and 4,000 teachers who are waiting for the grant-in-aid. But the government says it will provide grants only to 350 schools which have started between 1987 and 1991,” said a department official.

Most teachers are upset with this decision because many aided schools collect money from teachers while appointing them. “Most of us have paid to the school management hoping we will get salary from government. Now we are worried. What if the government does not include us in the grant-in-aid,” said Manjunath, a teacher, who paid about Rs50,000 to the school management while joining.