Teachers are the nation builders. They develop character in the children in the formative years and play a critical role in shaping their world view. Teachers also play a pivotal role in building the character of the youth who are the future of the nation.
It appears strange but the sad fact is that the vast majority of private school teachers across the state in general and in the valley in particular are underpaid. A general survey done by a Non-governmental Organization some years back found out that the teachers are paid a nominal 3000-4000 rupees monthly at the elementary level. For the teachers teaching at secondary and high school level the average monthly remuneration is 4000-5000 rupees. While as for the higher secondary level the average monthly salary of private school teachers is 6000-7000 rupees.
That is just the tip of the ice berg. With the standard of education improving in the valley and the avenues to accommodate the educated youth in productive sectors shrinking day by day thousands of educated youth swarm the private schools for interviews. Seeing a high number of prospective candidates at the venue the private school administrators use it to their advantage. For an elementary level teacher the minimum educational qualification is kept as graduation. For the secondary and the higher secondary level the minimum qualification is kept at Master’s level. Besides, majority of schools have stopped taking candidates who are without additional degree-Bachelors in Education (Bed).
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It is amazing that despite getting such qualified candidates who have invested a lot of their prime in earning the requisite qualification the schools still underpay them. A meticulous survey should point to the fact that the private school teachers in the urban areas are a critical case of being declared an urban poor.
This is after schools charge a huge amount under the garb of transportation fee, extracurricular fee, picnic fee, and printing charge. Where does that money go? Why is government not serious in this regard?
Government should issue a formal order devising the pay scale for private school teachers that is in some ways proportional to the pay revision policy of the government.
