Permanent jobs, accessible infrastructure among key demands made by disabled teachers in Chennai

Disabled teachers working in government schools in Chennai staged a protest to draw attention to their poor working conditions.

There were over 15 teachers who staged a protest outside the Directorate of School Education on College Road. Their main demand was that the salary dues be paid.

The teachers also demanded that their jobs be made permanent as they have worked for over two years at salaries designated for temporary employees.

They also demanded that teachers who have taught the Arts subject in government colleges for over six years be made permanent employees with a guaranteed government pension.

The teachers also pointed to the lack of accessibility infrastructure in schools and colleges, which made it hard for them to access their workplace.

The Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently Abled and Caregivers (TARATDAC), which is a leading disability rights group in the state, says that there are 12,000 art teachers in government schools across the state. Of this there are 150 teachers with disabilities.

All these 150 teachers are still in temporary posts despite a government order that teachers should be made permanent employees if they have worked for more than two years. The order also says that teachers should be brought from the consolidated pay scale under the Time pay scale. This has not been implemented either.

Government school and college teachers in Tamil Nadu have been protesting against the newly introduced pension scheme. They are also asking that their pay commission arrears be paid to them.

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