Salaries for over 900 guest faculty teachers at Maulana Azad Model Schools in Karnataka have been delayed for more than four months.
Although the Finance Department sanctioned 700 teaching posts, including 100 headmasters and guest faculty, for the initial 100 schools, another 100 schools started in 2018-19 lacked approved teaching posts. Despite this, the Minority Welfare Department hired 929 guest teachers, running the schools and paying salaries from its own funds.
Due to a departmental funding shortage, these teachers haven’t received salaries for over four months as their postings await approval from the Finance Department.
“Our life is dependent on this monthly remuneration with no other source of income. We haven’t got our salaries for the past four months now. We are not aware as to why we haven’t got our salaries. We appeal to the government to release our salaries immediately,” The Hindu quoted one of the guest teachers as saying.
These schools, initiated in 2017-18 by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for minority communities, face administrative challenges and financial constraints, according to The Hindu. Jeelani H. Mokashi, the Director of the Directorate of Minorities, while talking to the newspaper, gave assurance that the salaries for guest teachers would be disbursed shortly.
“The Maulana Azad Model Schools, which were started during Mr. Siddaramaiah’s previous tenure, were completely neglected during the BJP regime. It is unfortunate that these schools continue to be dogged by fund crunch and apathy even after Mr. Siddaramaiah has come back to power. We hope that he gives attention to the issues plaguing these schools,” Chand Pasha, advocate and social activist from Ramanagara, said to The Hindu.
