Govt order staying approval of teachers’ appointments sparks outrage

Dharwad: The Karnataka government’s decision to put on hold the appointment of teachers to private educational institutions under the grant-in-aid scheme has triggered outrage among the fraternity. Several legislators and management of the educational institutions have thrown their weight behind the beleaguered teachers. The department of public instruction (DPI), citing the nosedive that the economy of the state had taken owing to the Covid-19 crisis, issued an order wherein it was stated that appointment of teachers to vacant posts will not be allowed till 2021.
The move is likely to have a telling impact on the education sector in North Karnataka, where private-aided schools, established by several religious institutions among other organisations, have filled a huge gap in the field. Many of these schools have been providing education from the times when India was not free of the colonial yoke.
In a rare display of political unity, legislators from BJP, Congress and the JD(S) have raised their voice against the government’s decision, urging the DPI to roll back the order. Former education minister and MLC Basavaraj Horratti, BJP MLC SV Sankanur and Congress member RM Kuberappa have written to chief minister BS Yediyurappa, seeking his intervention to resolve the issue.
The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government had greenlighted appointment of teachers to posts that had fallen vacant before and on December 31, 2015. Many posts were subsequently filled and the teachers took up their responsibilities at the institutions they were assigned to. The teachers will be eligible to receive their salary from the date their appointment gets approved and the date on which they took up their posts is disregarded for the purpose. Even as many proposals of appointment were pending with the DPI the department’s order has banned the approval of pending proposal.
Consequently, several teachers currently serving in various institutions have received a rude jolt.
Currently, there are 850 vacancies in private aided institutions. In order to tide over the shortage, part-time teachers are being hired, and being paid measly sums, which is also telling on the quality of education being imparted.