Pink slip for 1L private school staff in Haryana

Nitish Sharma

Tribune News Service

Ambala, July 6

At least 1 lakh teaching and non-teaching staff of private schools in the state have lost their jobs during the Covid-induced lockdown. Around 60,000 of them are teachers and the rest are drivers and attendants of school buses and Class IV employees.

The process had begun during Unlock 1.0, when schools were not allowed to reopen. Activity teachers and non-teaching staff were shown the door initially, but now, nursery and subject teachers were being told to leave as well.

“There are nearly 10,000 school buses with at least 10,000 drivers and an equal number of attendants. As schools are closed, they have been rendered jobless. At least 20,000 Class IV workers have been shown the door,” said Kulbhushan Sharma, president of the Federation of Private Schools Welfare Association.

“It is being believed that there will be no nursery admission this year even after schools resume operations. Nearly 50,000 teachers who look after nursery students have been told that their services are not required now,” he stated.

“Subject teachers are also being told to leave. Since schools are still not getting fees, staff strength will be reduced further. Schools will be left with around 50 per cent of their staff strength if the situation does not improve,” he added.

“I have been told that since the school has not been getting fees and there is no new admission in kindergarten, the school is not in a position to pay salaries. After putting in eight years of service, I have been sacked along with eight other teachers,” said a teacher.

“I have been working for a school for six years. I was told in April the school was unable to pay salaries since it was not getting fees. I have no job now,” said a 34-year-old school bus driver.

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