Education dept issues salary-cut warning ahead of teachers’ stir

The strike, organised primarily by private aided, partially aided, and unaided schools, has also received support from local education management organisations.

Pune: Many teacher and staff organisations in Maharashtra have called for a “school shutdown” on Friday to draw attention to several pending demands, including mandatory implementation of Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), pension schemes, regularisation of salaries, and recruitment of non-teaching staff.

New Delhi, India - February 7, 2022: Students are seen maintaining social distancing norms inside a classroom at Government Sarvodaya Girls Senior Secondary School at Trilok Puri in New Delhi, India, on Monday, February 7, 2022. The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) had on Friday decided to reopen higher education institutions and coaching centres along with schools for classes 9-12 from February 7. (Photo by Raj K Raj / Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

The strike, organised primarily by private aided, partially aided, and unaided schools, also saw participation from local education management organisations.

In response, Maharashtra’s Directorate of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education issued a circular on Thursday instructing authorities to keep schools open on December 5 or face one-day salary deduction for headmasters, teachers, and non-teaching staff.

Mahesh Palkar, director, Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, Maharashtra State, said, “Teachers must prioritise students’ welfare above all.”

Shivaji Khandekar, coordinator, Maharashtra State Teachers and Non-Teaching Staff Coordination Committee, said, “We have received a letter from the education director that salary will be deducted for one day, but we will stage a protest tomorrow.”