EMIs, other financial commitments are there in our lives say teachers at BBMP education institutions
Bengaluru: For Divya Gopal, a teacher at the BBMP Composite PU College, teaching is her passion. This, however, comes at the cost of a delayed salary.
“We are not getting salary every month on time. Sometimes it’ll be delayed. We haven’t received August month’s salary yet.” she said.
Divya is part of the 18 temporary teachers at the civic body-run college. While 8 others are permanent, the salary issues seem to persist for the temporary staff.
“Sometimes we’ll get our salaries after 3 months. The commitments are there in our lives. The EMIs are also there which will deduct from our salaries. We are completely dependent on this salary.” she said.
She admitted that the delay leads the teachers to “adjust with it” and suffer problems with regards to their EMIs.
Pratibha R, a teacher at Magadi High School explains that getting salary “on time” means it comes with a month’s delay. She added that the situation has improved since the last 3 months.
“1 month’s salary is on hold and 1 month salary we get..” she said.
She added that the situation has improved since the last 3 months.
According to data provided by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the total teaching staff in all the civic body-run education institutes is “around 800”, out of which 600 are temporary teachers.
Meanwhile, in Magadi Road High school out of the 13 teachers only 1 is permanent who’s also the Principal and the rest are on an outsource basis.
“It’s been 20 years [since last permanent teacher was appointed]. They were last recruited in 1996. Since then, nothing’s been done” said Doddamanni H, Principal of the BBMP Magadi Road High School.
Experts say that salary delay is a pan-India problem and that the fault lies in the system.
”It’s a very systemic problem. A structural problem needs a structural solutions which is the government has to think about the teachers. They have to feel for them. As long as they feel for them, there’s a possibility that it can be solved.” said Raoof Mir, assistant professor in the department of media and journalism at Alliance University.
The BBMP said that it plans to hire more permanent staff in the coming years. As for the existing temporary teachers, an assessment will be carried out based on which the suitable ones will be taken as permanent staff.
“In the coming years, we are planning to recruit 250 primary and high school teachers so that we give job security to everyone” said DS Umesh, Assistant Commissioner (Education), BBMP.
