Guest teachers are not happy with the State Government hiking honorarium being paid to them at the government colleges.
Addressing presspersons in Udupi on Saturday, president of Udupi District Guest Teachers’ Welfare Committee Shahida said that by extending work hours from eight to 15 in a week, half of the guest teachers in the State are apprehensive that they will lose their jobs now.
“This recommendation of the committee constituted for the purpose is unacceptable,” she said. Ms. Shahida said that the government first colleges in the State had 14,500 guest teachers. The announcement by the Government on Friday will take away the jobs of half of them. Nearly 7,250 guest teachers are now worried about their jobs.
“There is a hidden agenda of the Government depicting its announcement as a festival bonanza. But in reality, many teachers will lose their jobs,” she said.
President of Kundapur Taluk Guest Teachers Welfare Committee Manikanta said that the Government has set three years for guest teachers to clear their required examination to be eligible for considering as ‘lecturers with UGC prescribed eligibility’. But the Government should also award grace marks to guest teachers appearing for the examination as many teachers have many of years of experience in the field, he said.
Mr. Manikanta said that the announcement did not stop them from boycotting the classes. Guest teachers have not cancelled their strike and will continue to boycott classes, he said.
