Assam

Karbi Anglong teachers seek overhaul of govt-aided schools amid financial security concerns

June 28, 2024

HT Bureau

DIPHU, June 27: Teachers from government-aided schools in Karbi Anglong, represented by the Karbi Anglong Venture Schools Employees Association (KAVSEA), have raised significant concerns regarding their working conditions and future security.

In a memorandum submitted on Wednesday to Richard Tokbi, executive member (EM) of Education at the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), they demanded urgent attention to the challenges faced by government-aided (venture) schools in the region.

KAVSEA highlighted that teachers in these schools have dedicated 25 to 30 years of service to education in the district, despite receiving only minimal financial support through grant-in-aid from KAAC.

“Many retiring teachers, they lamented, do not receive adequate financial security for their post-retirement life, with KAVSEA providing modest assistance ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 to affected families,” they said.

With a significant number of teachers set to retire within the next 2 to 3 years, KAVSEA emphasised the need for immediate regularisation of their posts. They called for an increase in ad hoc grant-in-aid salaries to align with the basic pay scale of the seventh pay commission on a monthly basis, rather than annually.

Additionally, they proposed a lump sum aid of Rs 500,000 to be extended to the families of retired teachers as a one-time measure.

The association also pressed for improved infrastructure in government-aided schools, citing high enrollment rates among economically disadvantaged families who prefer these institutions over private alternatives. They urged that government schemes providing free bicycles to students in government-provincialised schools be expanded to include government-aided (venture) schools, benefiting numerous economically vulnerable students.

The demands put forth by KAVSEA underscore the critical need for sustained support and reform in the education sector of Karbi Anglong, aiming to enhance both the welfare of teachers and the educational opportunities for local students.