Private teachers press for job security, health cards and welfare measures

Teachers’ MLC for the combined Godavari districts Borra Gopi Murthy on Sunday urged the government to issue identity and health cards, establish a welfare board and welfare fund, and ensure job security for private teachers and lecturers in the State.

Addressing a conference organised by the Private Teachers, Lecturers and Professors Welfare Association (PTLPWA) at the UTF State office here, Mr. Murthy said these demands could be achieved only through unity and sustained collective pressure on the government.

Former MLC and Jana Vignana Vedika State president K. S. Lakshmana Rao said private educational institutions now accounted for a larger share of student enrolment than government institutions and credited private teachers for the academic performance of these institutions. However, he said, many private teachers were neither paid minimum wages nor given salaries for all 12 months of the year and were often denied dignity at the workplace.

Referring to G.O. No. 1 issued nearly three decades ago, Mr. Lakshmana Rao said it mandated allocation of 50% of institutional fee collections towards teachers’ salaries, but alleged that several private managements had failed to implement it. He called for a united struggle to ensure its enforcement and demanded a toll-free number through which teachers could directly submit their grievances to the government.

CITU State general secretary A. V. Nageswara Rao said employees across educational institutions should unite on common issues. He said non-teaching staff should also be brought into the movement and suggested the use of representations, online petitions and mass signature campaigns to draw the government’s attention to their problems.

PTLPWA State convenor M. Surya Rao demanded timely payment of adequate salaries, extension of all holidays applicable to government educational institutions to private educational staff as well, and a 24-hour toll-free number to enable teachers to report issues relating to managements.

The conference was presided over by N. Lenin Babu. PTLPWA Prakasam district president Kiran and association leaders Srivani, Srinivas Reddy, Srinivas, Ramana, Madhu, Suresh Babu and Vasu Nayak also spoke. Later, a 23-member State convening committee was elected unanimously.