The CPI (M), Delhi State Committee expresses its strong opposition to the move of the AAP State Government to deprive teachers of private schools of pay parity with teachers of government schools. This is to be achieved through an amendment in Section 10(1)(a) of the Delhi Education Act.
The Deputy Chief Minister, Manish Sisodia has declared that this will put an end to exploitation of teachers of private schools. This is entirely spurious. Private schools have been doing their utmost to deprive teachers of pay scales at par with those in government schools. The abolition of mandatory parity will only help depress the wages of private school teachers even further.
Another argument advanced by the Minister is that retaining parity will force private schools to hike the fees that will detrimental to the interests of students. The Chief Minister has in turn stated that private school teachers will be paid at least the minimum wage of skilled labourers! The latter stands at Rs. 11,154 today, whereas the salary of a newly recruited primary school teacher in government schools in Delhi is about Rs. 33,000-34,000.
The AAP Government is acting as an agent of the profiteering managements of private schools in Delhi. The CPI(M) demands immediate withdrawal of the shameful move to deprive private school teachers parity in pay scales with teachers of in government schools.