Govt makes U-turn on withholding teachers' salaries

The state government on Thursday made a U-turn on its controversial order to withhold salaries of teachers in private aided schools that posted poor results in SSLC, after a bitter backlash from the education sector.

Following criticism by the teachers’ association and elected representatives, the education department, for the time being, has only sought an explanation and a detailed report over poor results.

The department, in May 2018, had ordered to withhold salaries of teachers in private aided schools whose pass percentage was lesser than the district average.

The order kicked up a political row with teachers’ representatives and MLCs lashing out at the state government.

Abiding by the orders of the government, deputy directors of public instruction (DDPIs) in several districts had, in fact, issued orders to Block Education Officers (BEO) to withhold grants. But with the issue fast turning into a political controversy, the education minister summoned MLCs and teachers’ associations to resolve the issue.

Arun Shahapur, an MLC who took part in the meeting, told DH that it was decided to release grants after taking into consideration the schools’ performance. “All had agreed that grants will be released after verifying the schools’ performance. But the government went a step ahead and ordered to withhold salaries.”

The government, citing poor results in various schools, had expressed concerns over falling standards of education and its impact on children besides concluding that such schools would be a burden on the state’s exchequer. But after the order to withhold salaries came under backlash, the education department on Thursday issued correctional orders stating it would only seek details of such schools that have recorded poor pass percentage.

The latest order dated June 28 (a copy of which is with DH) to all BEOs across the state said, “All officials have been instructed to collect information about schools that have reported SSLC results less than the district average and submit to the office of the principal secretary, education.”