PT, Art and Craft teachers are at a loss every time

Hyderabad: Even after a marginal hike in pay and receiving pending salary of three months, around 2,600 Physical Training (PT), Art and Craft teachers stare at uncertainty with the academic year coming to an end. It may be mentioned here that the PT, Art and Craft teachers in Telangana, who have been working on a contract basis in the State government schools, had to fend for themselves throughout the two waves of Covid-19.

Speaking to The Hans India, an art teacher from the government school in Secunderabad said, "Services of PT, Art and Craft teachers were not renewed for more than one-and-a-half year citing that the teaching was imparted online. It was only after the physical reopening of schools, that our services were renewed.

The only solace after the job loss and perils of Covid days is the marginal hike in salary from Rs 9,000 to Rs 11,700 and the release of pending salaries for three months." However, with the summer holidays for schools commencing from April/May, the services of these teachers would be terminated until the reopening of schools. "Our services are not resumed immediately after the reopening of schools in every academic year. We are forced to submit representations and stage protests to get our services renewed," said a PT teacher in Malkajgiri.

K Krishna Hari of Physical Training, Arts and Craft Teachers' Association said that there would be one or two months delay in resuming the services of PT, Art and Craft teachers after the reopening of schools every year.

Contrary to this, the services of their counterparts in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh have been renewed with one-day gap. Thus, the process followed in AP does not deprive the teachers of salary. That apart, the AP implementing its new PRC would help the teachers serving on contract basis draw a monthly salary of about Rs 12,000, Krishna Hari added.