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The secondary-grade teachers' (SGTs) who have been on protest for 21 consecutive days across various locations in Chennai, entered a second round of talks with State Education Minister Anbil Poiyamozhi Mahesh on Wednesday at his residence on Greenways Road.
Along with Secondary Grade Teachers, Part-Time Teachers also attended the meeting with the minister. After the meeting, the Minister assured that from May, "a minimum of Rs 10,000 will be paid to part-time teachers", adding that "discussions will be held between the School Education Department and the Law Department regarding regularising their services." Speaking to reporters, he reflected on the Chief Minister's efforts to resolve the issue and said the teachers' prolonged protest "caused distress." "The continuous demand of part-time teachers is that Election Promise No. 181 must be implemented. The Chief Minister periodically inquired about the status of the part-time teachers' agitation and obtained updates. At the time of the change in government, when the issue of part-time teachers arose, the Central Government did not release the Rs 3,548 crore that was due to the School Education Department. The fact that part-time teachers had to resort to protests during my tenure has genuinely caused distress," he said. The minister further said that after the change in the government, adequate financial aid was provided to the teachers, assuring an additional hike in the near future. "After the change in government, an increase of Rs 2,500 was given, and subsequently, it has been announced that Rs 2,500 more will be provided, raising the amount to Rs 15,000. Part-time teachers need not worry; your demands will be fulfilled. It has been announced that from May, a minimum of Rs 10,000 will be paid to part-time teachers. Regarding the issue of regularising their services, it was stated that discussions will be held between the School Education Department and the Law Department, after which a decision will be announced...," he assured. The meeting follows talks between protesting Secondary Grade Teachers (SGTs) and senior officials of the School Education Department on Monday, which failed to yield results, prompting the teachers to renew their agitation for "equal pay for equal work." The protesting teachers' demand arose from a pay difference of Rs 3,170 faced by teachers appointed after June 2009, despite performing the same duties as those appointed on or before May 31, 2009. The gap, they claimed, widened further following the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission in December 2022. The teachers also recalled that in 2023, the Chief Minister had constituted a three-member committee comprising the Principal Secretaries of Finance and School Education and the Director of Elementary Education to examine the issue. However, the committee has so far failed to provide a resolution, they alleged. (ANI)
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