POINGUINNIM: The 19 Parallel teachers, appointed to teach in the government primary schools in Canacona taluka, under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, and funded by the state government, have called upon the concerned authority to consider their plea, for increasing the remuneration in their daily payment, which is a meager Rs 150.

These parallel teachers or remedial teachers, are appointed to carry on their duty at G P schools, where there are single teachers teaching in the primary section. Each of these teachers is given two GPS on an alternate day basis. In case of 2-teacher schools, only if the strength is more than the required, then the services of para teachers is sought, informed a source from SSA, Canacona.

These para-teachers, who have been appointed from 2006 onwards in the taluka schools have sometimes to travel more than 20 kilometers by bus, in which case, they have to start early to reach the respective schools of service on time, and in most cases, they have to catch 2 buses to reach to their destination. In such a situation, they have to spend much more than what they are paid for the job.

Some respected citizens of the localities where they work, have seen their services and have deplored the condition under which they are made to work. Even though, they are qualified just like the permanent teachers, they are paid a meager sum of Rs 150 per day, when their counterpart-teachers draw a monthly salary of around Rs 16000 to Rs 18000 per month. The citizens felt pity for these para-teachers, who are forced to take the job due to
large-scale unemployment.

The senior citizens said that it is the duty of the government to think of these teachers and increase their monthly remuneration to at least Rs 6000 to Rs 7000 per month, so that their work becomes worthwhile. Some of these teachers are married and have their families to be looked after, it is learnt. Some of the teachers spend around Rs 35 to Rs 40 in just getting to and from work.