D. Ravikumar, a member of parliament for Villupuram, has urged the Union government to intervene and ensure minimum wages for teachers in private and unaided schools within the country
In a letter addressed to Mansukh Mandaviya, the Union Minister for Labour and Employment, Mr. Ravikumar said several challenges were faced by most teachers in private schools such as low salaries, no maternity leave, absence allowances, gender bias and irregularities in payment of provident fund. Currently however, the Union government has limited power on administrative matters of unaided schools and only proper legislation can protect teachers from this exploitation.
He underscored that it was a priority of government to reinforce education system; hence there was need to attract best minds into teaching profession. By providing basic pay and job security through minimum wages would help teachers avoid harassment at their work place by supervisors he added.
“Ensuring minimum wages for teachers and headmasters will increase their productivity and encourage them to improve teaching methods. Also this step would aid in eradicating wage disparities due to personal biases of higher officials among other things that contribute towards quality education in these private institutions,” observed Mr.Ravikumar.
MP said Delhi High Court had ruled in 2023 that all unaided private school teachers must be paid at rates equivalent to those paid out by governments’ counterparts.
Therefore he said it should be established that teachers employed in private unaided schools are given not less than what is prescribed under Minimum Wages Act 1948 for skilled as well as semi-skilled or even unskilled workers according to him.
