Compensate kin of teachers who died on Covid duty, DCs told

BENGALURU: The Education Department has asked the deputy commissioners of districts to provide compensation to the families of teachers and staffers who died of Covid-19 while on Covid duty. A top official said that the staffers were appointed by the district commissioners for Covid duty.

The families of these teachers are bound to receive around Rs 30 lakh in insurance, said the official. However, these benefits were restricted to government teachers, staffers and those outsourced for Covid duty. The Deputy Director of Public Instruction has been asked to follow up on the compensation and also provide information on those families eligible for compensation.  

Meanwhile, the department has initiated the process to appoint the kin of those teachers or staffers, who died on duty be it Covid or otherwise (prior to their retirement), on  compassionate grounds in Group D, first division assistant or second division assistant roles. In a letter issued to the DCs, Commissioner of Public Instruction Anbu Kumar also reminded them to provide financial relief to the families of those who died of Covid even if they were deputed for other duties such as election.

Private schools, in the meantime, have been demanding some relief. Minister for Primary and Secondary Education S Suresh Kumar had written to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Thursday to announce a relief package for unaided school teachers and staffers as several parents did not pay the fees for the previous academic year when classes were held online.