Tirupati: For many teachers, summer vacations have turned into a responsibility of enrolling new students into their respective schools in Tirupati and Chittoor districts. Many private school teachers are spending their vacation going door-to-door in search of prospective students for their schools.
With the new academic year scheduled to start, several teachers have alleged that their managements have fixed admission targets, even linking their salaries and continuation in service to the number of new students they enlist.
Requesting anonymity, a teacher working with a private school in Tirupati said teachers are being forced to work for new admissions under the fear of losing their jobs. “Managements are giving targets of 10 admissions for every teacher during the holidays. Those who fail to bring admissions are warned about salary cuts and continuation in service”, she charged.
Across Tirupati and Chittoor districts, there are around 1,200 private schools employing more than 13,500 teachers. Many teachers say that while management collects high fees from parents every year, salaries paid to teachers remain low and irregular despite long working hours.
“I joined the profession for a salary of Rs 6,000 after completing my degree. After six years of service, I now earn Rs 13,000 a month. We work for more than 10 hours a day. Salaries, at times, are even delayed for two to three months “, the teacher said.
Another woman teacher working in a corporate school alleged that salaries shown in records differ from the amounts actually paid to employees. “We are made to sign on higher salary figures. But what we receive is much less. To manage household expenses, I take tuition classes after school hours”, she pointed out.
Teachers allege that leaves during emergencies often result in salary cuts. Benefits like PF and ESI are not properly implemented in many schools. “For many of us, the profession we once entered with hope has now become a daily struggle between financial insecurity and fear of unemployment”, said Yamini Surendran, a private school teacher based in Chittoor.
CITU district president S. Jayachandra said their union has received complaints from teachers over admissions pressure, low salaries and denial of basic benefits. “Teachers are being forced to work even during the summer vacation In some schools, managements have warned teachers not to return after the holidays unless they bring in new students,” Jayachandra underlined.
He said their union has brought the issue to the notice of district collector. He demanded strict implementation of work rules in private schools.
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