Pvt school teachers under financial crisis

The staff members, both teaching and non-teaching, of a few private schools in the district are under financial crisis as the institutions have not paid their salaries for the last two months.

Many teachers have not paid their house rent and it has become difficult for them to spend on household expenditure. A teacher said that she has not received her salary from the last two months and it has become very difficult to bare the daily expenses. “I don’t have any other source of income, except the salary,” she said, adding that she has borrowed money from her friend to pay the house rent.

The teacher said, her children study in another school and the school authorities are exerting pressure on her to pay the fees. “When I have not received my salary, how can I pay the fees. The school management must understand the situation of teachers and should release at least half of the salary,” she said.

Another school teacher, who stays at a paying guest accommodation said, “It’s been two months since I received my last salary. I have not paid my PG rent. I have no money to spend on other expenses. I am forced to cut my expenses.”

Not only teachers, even non-teaching staff members are facing the heat, as they have not received their payment. “We understand the situation. But, the authorities must understand our condition. A majority of the non-teaching staff are from economically weaker sections. We are not demanding to pay full salary,” he says.

However, a school principal said, due to Covid-19 lockdown, the school is facing shortage of funds. The school management has decided to accept fees in installments. “We are not exerting pressure on any parent to pay the fees. But, we have requested a few to pay the fees if it is possible for them,” he said.

An officer of the Education department said that the schools must release the salary on time and strict action will be taken against the management, if we receive any complaint from teachers.