Delhi Guest Teachers refutes Sisodia’s claim of Rs 50,000 salary; demand permanent job

Punjab Congress Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu also joined guest teachers protest unemployment rate of Delhi has increased by almost 5 times

The issue of guest teachers salary is heating up the political atmosphere in Delhi with Punjab Congress Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu joining Delhi government guest teachers who are holding a protest outside
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence.

Guest teachers are demanding revision of their pay and also demanding permanent jobs by sitting outside the residence of CM Arvind Kejriwal.

Delhi has 1026 schools run by the state government and has the requirement of around 906 Principals. However only 196 principals are there right now, thus there is a shortage of 710 principals. Looking at the number of vice-principals there is a need of 1662 vice principals, while there are 1195 right now. There is a requirement of 64,000, while there are 58,000 teachers working right now, of this, there are 22,000 guest teachers.

With Punjab elections round the corner, Delhi CM and other members of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) making various promises including increasing the salary of guest teachers in Punjab.

Recently, Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia while speaking on a news channel said that Delhi Government is paying Rs 35,000 - Rs 50,000 to guest teachers per month.

Reacting to this statement, the All India Guest Teachers Association said: “What you are talking about paying 50000 rupees salary, please tell when, where and to which guest teacher you have given 50000 rupees salary? No guest teacher in Delhi has received a salary of Rs 50,000 till date, then where did you give it to the guest teachers?”

The association has alleged that the guest teachers of Delhi are still on daily wages, far from getting salary equal to permanent, even fixed salary is not given to them.
“Far from the facility equal to permanent, no CL, money is deducted till Sunday and government holidays,” alleged teachers association.

Levelling various allegations Delhi Government Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Navjot Singh Sidhu said: “Delhi Education Model is Contract Model … Delhi Govt has 1031 Schools while only 196 schools have Principals … 45% teacher’s posts are vacant and Schools are run by 22,000 Guest Teachers on daily wages with every 15 days renewal of contracts!!”

He has also alleged that AAP promised to regularize contractual teachers give equal wages as permanent staff but made it worse by just having guest teachers. “Through School Management Committees, so-called AAP volunteers earn Rs 5 Lakh yearly from Govt funds that earlier were meant for school’s development.”

Sidhu wrote on Twitter: “In your 2015 manifesto you promised 8 lakh new jobs and 20 new colleges in Delhi, where are the jobs and colleges? You have given only 440 Jobs in Delhi. On the contrary of your failed guarantees, the unemployment rate of Delhi has increased by almost five times in the last five years.”

In 2015 there were 12,515 job vacancies for teachers in Delhi but in 2021 there are 19,907 job vacancies for teachers in Delhi. “While AAP Govt is filing up vacant posts through guest lecturers,” Sidhu alleged.