Proposal to regularise 3,000 SSA posts submitted

Maharashtra's SSA director proposes full-time jobs for 3,052 long-serving contractual staff, seeking job security and benefits following a Supreme Court directive.

MUMBAI: The state director of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) has proposed full-time appointments for 3,052 staff members and teachers working under SSA across Maharashtra. Many of these employees have been serving for over ten years in various schools and education department offices but have been working on a contractual basis.

Proposal to regularise 3,000 SSA posts submitted

The SSA is the “education for all campaign” launched by the central government to promote the universalisation of elementary education, for children aged between 6 and 14.

The proposal, submitted to the school education department, comes after a Supreme Court order dated April 19, 2023, directing the state to consider regularising the services of long-term contractual employees. Following the directive, a high-level meeting was held on August 22 to discuss the matter. During the meeting, the SSA director cited the example of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh, which have already moved their contractual staff to the government’s payroll.

According to the proposal, these 3,052 staff members include teachers, cluster resource coordinators, block education officers, and administrative staff, who have been working under SSA for years, without the security of a full-time job. They have been consistently petitioning the state education department for permanent positions, citing their long service, experience and contribution to implementing various government education schemes.

Officials said many of these employees work in remote and rural areas, under challenging conditions, to ensure smooth implementation of the SSA. Despite handling responsibilities like monitoring school performance, improving student enrolment, and supporting learning outcomes, they have been receiving lower pay and fewer benefits than other permanent government employees.

A senior official from the state education department said, “These teachers and staff have been the backbone of the SSA’s success. Giving them full-time appointments is a step towards acknowledging their contribution and ensuring continuity in educational reforms.”

Currently, the SSA covers thousands of schools in Maharashtra. Apart from focusing on universal access to elementary education, the programme aims at improving education through teacher training, resource support, and infrastructure development. Officials admit that the high turnover of contractual staff has impacted the consistency of several initiatives.