Shocking Step: AP Government has cut down honorarium to be paid to ayahs from Rs 6,000 to Rs 1,000 per month

Guntur : The State government has cut down honorarium to be paid to the ayahs who clean the toilets in schools from Rs 6,000 to Rs 1,000 per month.

Director of School Education Vadrevu China Veerabhadrudu issued orders to this effect on Monday. The school headmasters will engage the ayahs through the parents' committees.They would have to meet this expenditure from the Toilets Maintenance Fund.

It may be mentioned here that the government directed the officials to collect Rs1,000 from each Amma- Vodi beneficiary and deposit the same in the headmasters' accounts in the bank. Honorarium will be paid to the ayahs from this amount.

The headmasters and school teachers are of the opinion that it is difficult to find the ayahs to clean the toilets in the school with Rs1,000 honorarium. There are 45 lakh schools in the State and almost all the headmasters of the government schools are facing the same problem.

A government school teacher P Siva Rao said, "The school ayah has to clean the toilets on the school premises at least five times per day in the backdrop of Covid-19 second wave.

She has to clean the urinals and latrines before students come to the school in the morning,after interval again, and after school morning session. Similarly, she has to clean the toilets twice in the evening. "We will pay Rs2,000 to Rs 4,000 per month for domestic maids.

The government is paying less amount to the ayahs.In Guntur city, if a worker in the mirchi yard or any spinning mill will get Rs300 to Rs400 per day. It is difficult to find domestic maids also," he said.

MTF State president S Rama Krishna said, " According to earlier orders, the headmasters have to pay Rs 6,000 per month during the school working days to the ayahs.

In holidays, Rs3,000 per month honorarium to be paid to the ayahs. It is not correct to reduce the honorarium of the ayahs.

The government is renovating the school buildings with several crores of rupees but reduced ayahs' honorarium. Ayahs appointed for Rs 6,000 per month, may not work for Rs1,000 per month. The headmasters will have to face the wrath of the ayahs."