Goverment-aided school teachers want salaries or assurance by Christmas

DEHRADUN: Aggrieved over non-payment of salaries for the past two months, teachers from government-aided schools under the aegis of Madhyamik Shikshak Sangh have threatened to protest vehemently, if they are not assured salaries by December 25. Sanjay Bijalwan, district head of the Madhyamik Shikshak Sangh, said, “Around 1,600 teachers in government-aided schools of Dehradun district have not got salaries for nearly two months. There are almost a dozen minority government-aided schools in Dehradun district and for them Christmas is very special. It is unfair to them if they are not receiving salaries now. We hope that in the next couple of days, some arrangement is made for all of us or even for some, else we will protest in front of the chief education office in Dehradun after Christmas, till our demand is met with.”However, it is not just the teachers who have alleged non-payment of salaries. The working staff too in government-aided schools in the district is going without any payments due to lack of grants for the past two months.The association members also met the chief education officer of Dehradun district, SB Joshi, earlier in the week to apprise him of their agitation plan. Though Joshi was not available for comments, a senior education official confirmed that the matter is being taken into consideration and soon their salaries will be released. The members of Madhyamik Shikshak Sangh in the Dehradun district are, however, hoping that the festive season will come with some joy and they will get their dues. A teacher said, “I hope we get our salaries in time and we don’t have to protest over this.”