A day before the Teachers’ Day observance on September 5 this year a section of teachers were seen protesting the delay in salary payment by the Government of Meghalaya. This is nothing new but attempts to set this debilitating problem right seems to evade the mandarins at the State Secretariat. Teachers serving under the Deficit System of grants-in-aid used to be paid salaries once every quarter, leaving them to rely heavily on the goodwill of their house owners who also have to willy-nilly agree to be paid rent once in three months. Teachers avail their rations too on credit much to their embarrassment. There are other categories of teachers too such as those under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan who have been demanding enhanced pay. To be fair to teachers they are the backbone of not just the education system of the state but also its socio-economic progress and the ability of youth to cope with a very competitive system.
A lot of rhetoric is peddled every Teachers’ Day that teachers play a crucial role in shaping the future of our society by educating and guiding the next generation. But the fact also remains that teachers are underpaid particularly in the private educational institutions and face significant financial challenges as a result. As far as teachers paid by government funds are concerned the reality is that there is not enough state investment in education apart from the sector also suffering budget cuts. There’s a huge gap between what the government pronounces vis a vis teachers and what it actually does for them. Yet we expect teachers to give their best when they are in a distressed lot. Governments are always struggling to balance their budgets in the face of rising costs and declining revenues. But that education should suffer the consequences of such budget cuts is unpardonable. As a result, teachers are bearing the brunt of lower salaries. In some cases they even had to take pay cuts or accept reductions in benefits, such as healthcare and retirement benefits, in order to help balance the budget. In a country with a major baggage of poor educational outcomes how can there be such huge allocations to defence for instance?
Poor educational budgets also mean lack of investment in teacher training and development, which reduces a teachers’ capacity to perform to her/his optimal. Teachers need ongoing training and professional development in order to keep their skills and knowledge up-to-date, and to be able to effectively support their students. Has the Government of Meghalaya paid attention to this aspect? Teachers’ underpayment has far-reaching consequences for education and society as a whole. It can lead to retention challenges, as talented individuals may be discouraged from pursuing teaching careers or may leave the profession for better-paying opportunities. The attrition rate among teachers under contract is indeed high. Is the Government of Meghalaya listening?
