As their demand to increase salary falls on deaf ears, mentors plan to march to the CM's house on September 5 and end their lives
As their demand to increase salary falls on deaf ears, mentors plan to march to the CM's house on September 5 and end their lives
Unhappy over earning a meager Rs 3,190 for over four years, 300 BBMP teachers are now threatening to commit suicide outside the chief minister's residence if senior BBMP officials do not consider their request for for a salary hike.
Mounting pressure: Teachers of BBMP schools gherao members of the
education standing committee and demand better pay and working
conditions. Pic/Yacoob Mohammed They have chosen to take the extreme step on September 5, coinciding with the Teacher's Day. While the performance of all the BBMP schools and colleges has improved this year, the same has not reflected on the pay slips of these troubled teachers.
The BBMP runs 33 schools and more than 11 colleges in the city. In all, over 300 teachers have been working in these institutions for anywhere between 4-6 years on a contractual basis. Many of these teachers are the sole breadwinners for their families and despite repeated requests to increase their salaries, their pleas have fallen on deaf ears.
"A BBMP primary school teacher earns Rs 3,198 a month, while a high school teacher makes only Rs 5,478. We have approached the officials many times to increase our salaries. Every time they send us back, promising to look into the matter, but they never seem to keep their word," said Ramesh Akki, President, BBMP contract Teacher's Association.
Some hope?
Frustrated with the delay by elected BBMP representatives, the teachers cut short their classes and protested outside the palike for hours yesterday. After braving the scorching heat and the untimely downpour through the course of day, the teachers barged into the Standing Committee chairman's office.
"We couldn't meet the chairman as he was in the budget review meeting, but a member of the Education Wing of the Standing Committee assured that our request would be looked into this time," said Manjunath Gowda, a member of the association.
Member of the standing committee for the education wing, V Krishna, attempted to calm the teachers down.
He said, "The Government order on hiring contract teachers has not been mentioned yet and we have taken note of their grievances. Once the budget review meeting is completed, we will take a positive decision on the same. "We will commit suicide right outside the CM's house if he refuses to pass an order to increase our salaries."
