For more than a decade, special educators appointed under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) have been working with children with special needs. But their long-time demand for regularisation of jobs is yet to be fulfilled.
The special educators are also appealing for better pay, on par with their counterparts appointed under the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA).
“It was in 2002 that special educators were appointed under SSA. From 2006 till 2012, NGOs placed special educators, and this practice was subsequently suspended. For two years after this, we received our salaries from the Block Resource Centre but we have not received any appointment order from the government till now,” a special educator said. Special educators train differently-abled children above the age of five in schools. They cater to their educational needs, and impart training to enable them fulfil their basic needs. They also provide home-based training and groom differently-abled children identified for the School Readiness Programme.
There are 105 special educators in Vellore district, besides 22 physiotherapists and 18 day care teachers catering to the needs of children with special needs. It was to put forward their demands that a forum for special educators - Association of Special Educators for the differently-abled students, Vellore district – met recently.
“Presently, we are receiving salaries through the School Management Committees. We have been demanding regularisation of jobs and time-scale pay for a long time but there has been no effort from the government to look into our demand,” he said.
Gopala Rajendran, district secretary, Tamil Nadu Association of Rights of All Types of Differently Abled and Caregivers, said though the special educators, who were initially appointed through NGOs, were brought under the control of the State government, no appointment orders were issued to them.
“The special educators appointed under SSA handle children with special needs from classes I to VIII. They are paid a salary of ₹16,000. However, special educators appointed under RMSA are paid ₹32,000. We are demanding that special educators appointed under SSA also be paid on par with RMSA special educators,” he said.
The association has demanded that appointment orders be issued to the special educators.
They have said that their salaries should be directly disbursed and not through the School Management Committees.
They also wanted transfers, filling up of vacant posts and coverage under Provident Fund.
The association said that separate activity-based learning cards should be given for the differently abled students in schools.
