TS private schools teachers continue to wait for Rs 2,000, free rice promised by state
On 8 April, the Telangana government had announced financial aid of Rs. 2,000 and free rice to teachers and non-teaching staff of private schools every month till the schools reopen.
By Sumit Jha Published on 18 Jun 2021 2:54 PM GMT
Hyderabad: Ayesha Mohiddun, a teacher at Gayatri Upper Primary School in Chandrayangutta, last received her salary in March 2020. Gayatri Upper Primary School, a private school for low-income families recognized by the Telangana government, has been shut down since the lockdown last year.
The school was open for a few months this year, from February to April, when the state government allowed students of classes VIII to X to attend the school. Ayesha is a primary teacher and hence did not have to go to school as her students were not allowed to attend classes.
Ayesha told NewsMeter, "Most of the students are from poor families who cannot afford devices for their kids to attend online classes. So, I was out of a job."
On 8 April, the Telangana government had announced financial aid of Rs. 2,000 and free rice to teachers and non-teaching staff of private schools every month till the schools reopen. However, Ayesha says they did not get any benefits from the state.
Syed Sultan Ahmed, the principal of Gayatri Upper Primary School, added, "The school has to register online. There were two pro forma that had to be filled up. We filled the forms with the necessary details but when we tried to print them out, it said it was not filed due to some technical issues. The deputy education officer of Bandlaguda assured us it will be rectified but it's been two months now and we have not yet been registered."
In a similar case, Sameena Bee, a teacher at Crescent School at Shaheen Nagar in the city, could not get registered at her school to avail of the state benefits. "I went for registration but my documents could not be uploaded. They said my name was linked to a different school where I used to teach earlier. When I went to that school, they refused to register me and said I am no longer a part of the school," said Sameena Bee.
Most teachers at low-income private schools are not getting paid and are suffering. "I have not received my salary for a year. The October floods swept away everything from my house which hit my family hard. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic I cannot take tuition classes as the parents fear I may infect their kids. So, I am dependent on my father who drives an auto-rickshaw," said a teacher on condition of anonymity.
There are 15 staff members in Gayatri Upper Primary School. All are waiting for assistance. "The pandemic has also affected the parents and they are unable to pay the fees. The school management doesn't have any income and is unable to pay the teachers. We are hoping that the government will look into this issue and provide some assistance to the teachers," said Syed Sultan Ahmed.
According to a survey conducted by the Bharat Dekho organization, only 22.5 per cent of private teachers in Telangana have received the Rs. 2,000 financial aid from the government. A total of 306 teachers participated in the online survey, of which 249 had submitted the required documents to avail of the financial assistance. Only 56 of them received it. Likewise, only 50 of the 249 applicants received the free rice.
