Special education teachers on indefinite hunger strike

As part of inclusive education guidelines, the central government has mandated state governments to appoint teachers specifically for children with special needs within schools operating under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)

Special education teachers on indefinite hunger strike

Mumbai: Special education certified teachers by the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI), an apex government body, set up to regulate training programmes and courses targeted at disabled and disadvantaged communities are on indefinite hunger strike from October 2 at Azad Maidan to demand the provision of permanent appointments, asserting their rightful place in the education system.

Since 2012, a staggering 1,775 teachers, eligible to teach children with special needs, have been relegated to contractual positions within Maharashtra’s educational framework.

The hunger strike is rooted in the principles of inclusivity enshrined in the Right to Education (RTE) Act, emphasising every child’s right to education. As part of inclusive education guidelines, the central government has mandated state governments to appoint teachers specifically for children with special needs within schools operating under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).

Santosh Chamalwad, a dedicated special teacher and treasurer of Divyang Kalyan Special Teachers Association (DKSTA) from Satara district who is among the fasting educators at Azad Maidan, stated, “These contract-based teachers have endured seven long years without a single rupee increase in their salaries. Despite their critical role in shaping the future of special needs children, their salaries have been reduced by ₹1,500 by the Maharashtra Primary Education Council (MPEC) in 2017, leaving them with a meagre ₹20,000.”

According to regulations, the government must allocate one teacher for every 10 students. “These appointments are intended not just for schools catering exclusively to children with special needs but for government-clustered schools in cities and villages, where such children are enrolled. Post-appointment, we are assigned clusters of schools and are required to visit them daily,” shared another Chamalwad.

Highlighting the non-compliance of government-prescribed student-teacher ratios, a teacher from Ulhasnagar, raised an alarming concern. “In Ulhasnagar, where 1,126 children are registered as having special needs, only four teachers have been appointed for this cluster. How are we expected to commute between schools and provide assistance to these students?”

Recognising the national significance of this issue, DKSTA had previously filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court. The court issued a favourable verdict in July 2022 in favour of the teachers.

Sartaj Pathan, another dedicated teacher, questioned, “Following this landmark judgement, several states, including Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, and West Bengal, have embarked on the path of permanent appointments for these educators. Why is a progressive state like Maharashtra lagging behind in recognising their contributions?”

MPEC officials were unavailable for comment. Meanwhile, in a written letter given to the DKSTA, MPEC clarified that they are not responsible for their appointment. The power of appointment of these teachers is with the state school education department. Chamalwad informed them that they scheduled a meeting with the school education department on October 10.