Guest teachers in U’khand denied pay for summer break once more

Dehradun: Guest teachers in the state have once more raised objections to not being paid for the summer break despite several assurances from the education department. There are around 4,700 guest teachers in the state, with 3,700 having served for over eight years.
“Since Covid years, we have all been paid regularly for the summer break. Only certain blocks in Pauri and Rudraprayag districts were withholding pay but following orders issued in Feb, even Rudraprayag’s chief education officer was instructed to pay all guest teachers.However, this year, no one in any of the districts has been paid despite many false assurances from the chief minister and education minister,” said Abhishek Bhatt, president of the guest teachers’ association.
“Govt orders on our salary talk about duration of work, which includes summer and winter breaks. Most of us teach extra classes and do administrative tasks during this time but are not paid. We wrote a letter to the CM highlighting our plight in Champawat, his district,” said a teacher. Bansidhar Tiwari, DG, education, told TOI that guest teachers who hold summer camps or extra classes will be paid but only for the days they worked.