TN govt issues order to appoint teachers, sanctions Rs 109 crore

CHENNAI: TN government has issued a government order (G.O.) sanctioning appointment of temporary teachers to fill vacancies in government schools and releasing Rs 109.91 crore for their payment. This includes 4,989 teachers who will be appointed this year through school management committees (SMCs). Following this appointment, there will be 14,019 temporary teachers in government schools—4,989 secondary grade teachers, 5,154 BT assistants and 3,896 PG teachers.

According to the G.O., the government sanctioned appointments of 1,474 PG teachers in 2018-19, 2,449 PG teachers in 2019-20 and 2,774 PG teachers in 2021-22. However, only about 2,800 of these PG teacher vacancies were filled through the Teachers’ Recruitment Board (TRB).

Moreover, there are vacancies for 4,989 secondary grade teachers as per a letter sent by the elementary education directorate on May 5, 2022. Most of these vacancies are in Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Tirupattur, Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi, Villupuram and Salem.

After 2013-14, teachers were not appointed through direct recruitment and this has affected the learning process of the students in all subjects. Considering this, the government has allowed the appointment of temporary teachers to fill around 5,000 secondary grade teachers till permanent teachers are appointed through the TRB. The temporary teachers would be recruited through SMCs, which were reconstituted in government schools across the state last year.

The temporary BT assistants, secondary grade teachers and PG teachers will be appointed for a period of five to seven months and will be paid Rs 12,000, Rs 15,000 and Rs 18,000 a month respectively. Meanwhile, educationists said while it is a welcome move to fill these vacancies by appointing temporary teachers, steps should be taken to appoint permanent teachers soon.