In the picturesque area of Jammu, located in the northern part of India, education has often been seen as an avenue to progression and development. Private schools, in conjunction to government schools, have played central role in supplying educational services to thousands of children throughout picturesque and rural India. In the context of private schools, there is however, a hidden narrative--the anguish of private school teachers who are nearly starving in schools that grossly underpay and undervalue them. It is sad and unfortunate that even experienced and more qualified private school teachers in Jammu are given salaries do not correspond to background in education, or experience or sense of responsibility . In an age of inflation, increasing cost of living and increasing expectations in a profession that is already predetermined to not be lucrative, these teachers continue to struggle financially and emotionally.
It is especially disappointing that teachers—who have postgraduate training, B.Ed's, and experience teaching—are paid such low salaries (between ₹5,000 to ₹8,000) in many private schools. Even in somewhat reputable institutions, it's hard to imagine that even one or two years of experience would only merit salaries around ₹15,000 at best. The amount of money required to sustain a decent living wage in the current economy is far more than that. For example, in many areas, skilled labourers, and daily wage earners generate as much income as teachers generate after a month's worth of work (teaching, planning, grading, mentoring, and simply managing classroom life). I'm not sure what to call it, but when you take into account what these contacts add to society' through its ethos of educating masses, their contracted salary is not only inequitable but demoralizing. What is even more disappointing and demoralized is that many teachers, who are actually "loyal" (4 or 5 years plus) to the same school, are often denied any kind of meaningful incremental or appraisal process. While the institution cares about the loyalty, the performance, and its academic reputation, teacher salary often remains the same year in and out.
Like many parts of the world, India is suffering from untenable inflation in basic commodities and services - groceries, electricity, public transportation, healthcare, education, etc. For private school teachers who make less than ₹10,000 a month, there seems to be no escape from the pressure of living paycheck to paycheck and even harder to save in case an emergency happens or for children's education or retirement. Many of these teachers have families to support, rent and transportation, and living day to day expenses. Financial pressures compel most teachers to investigate some tuition or extra work on the weekend after they get home from teaching 5 or 6 days a week which adds to exhaustion and stress. Another huge concern is job security and workers basic employment benefits. It is getting harder and harder for private school teachers to get responses on PF (provident fund), medical insurance, paid days off, maternity benefits, etc. Private school teachers often work or are hired as temporary employees or as deplorable contractual employees, and many schools in Jammu have a policy to "hire and fire" so that they may not have to consistently pay an employee during holidays or quieter periods. Many schools in Jammu do not either issue letters of appointment to teachers or keep employment records in cases where teachers want to complain about unwelcome practices or to claim benefits that they believe they are entitled to. This informality in employment further adds to their vulnerability and dependence on the whims of school managements.
Women's representation among teachers in private institutions in Jammu has historically been high and they remain more vulnerable than men to exploitation. Although female educators may be better qualified than their male counterparts in many cases, they are often offered lower wages or denied promoted. Gender-based discrimination, insufficient safety in a workplace setting, and denial of maternity rights are ongoing issues in a number of institutions. Educators are often women who develop the minds of the young, and are frequently called upon to fulfill the multiple roles of teacher, administration, disciplinary, and extracurricular all without compensation or acknowledgement.
Teachers are under considerable pressure, emotionally and psychologically exhausting themselves in severely exploitive working conditions. Working too hard for too little undermines self-esteem and motivation, and teachers steadily feel hopeless, frustrated, and disenfranchised, which in turn negatively affects the education quality provided to students. The suggestion that teachers are "noble" people who sacrifice financial remuneration for the "greater good," allows education sector policies that exploit teachers to become normalized. While teaching is a noble profession, there is nothing noble about the exploitation of those who devote their entire lives to it. For sure, many still teach in privates either because they have nowhere else to go, due to passion for the area, and/or personal obligations, do not have the ability to change their life situation or pursue other career options. For many teachers, it's not a "choice," it's a process of survival. With relatively few Government teaching roles available, lengthy hiring processes, and political affiliations associated with all appointments, even the best and brightest educators have limited choice other than accept conditioned by whatever private options avail themselves to seek employment.
The situation of private school teachers in Jammu reflects a larger systemic failure - a society that values the product of education but ignores those who create it. Until we identify the dignity and rights of teachers and provide fair compensation for their efforts, our education system will simply be founded on weak, unjust foundations. It is time for policymakers, school managements, parents, and society as a whole to unite and demand dignity, justice, and pay equity for the teachers of Jammu. Because without empowered teachers, there can be no empowered future.
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