No pay for teachers on strike: Government informs HC

Responding to a query raised by Justice N Kirubakaran on the action taken by the Government to prevent the teachers from boycotting work, the Directorate of Elementary Education department submitted on Thursday, “The Government had declared that the period of absence would be treated as ‘no work No pay’ and no salary would be paid for teachers in the strike period.”

The submission made also noted, “The period of absence had been declared as ‘Unauthorised absence to duty’ and as many as 43,608 teachers have been served notices under Rule 17 (a) and 17 (b) of Tamil Nadu Disciplinary and Appeal Rules.

To a question on how may schools have been affected due to the strike, the answer offered was, “Arrangements have been made for the functioning of all schools with the help of teacher trainees, other government staffs and Parent Teachers Association teachers.

The counter also said that as many as six teachers union/associations are striking without attending the classes and as on September 13 as many as 33, 487 teachers have abstained from work.

The submission was in response to the queries raised by Justice Kirubakran on a plea that contended that teachers are absent most of the times in many of the Government schools and that they are involved in non-teaching work due to lack of accountability. The plea also noted that owing to this the standard of teaching in Government schools had fallen considerably affecting the poor students who opt for Government schools.

The court on Wednesday had pulled up a section of government teachers on strike, saying that it’s a matter of shame that a mere five students from government schools had managed to get medical seats.

The striking government school teachers were at the receiving end yet again, with Justice Kirubakaran on persuing the answers holding that the court has a moral responsibility to intervene as children’s education continues to be compromised owing to the strike.

The judge also noted that the court is not against the teachers but it is important that the strike is held lawfully without any compromise on students’ interest. The case is likely to be taken up on Friday for further hearing. It may be noted that Justice Kirubakaran also recalled his earlier order questioning the Government as to why the biometric system should not be introduced in government schools to prevent unauthorised absenteeism and whether it is viable to install CCTV cameras in schools to verify the attendance of teachers and teaching through the day.