Wed Jan 15 15:42:00 UTC 2025: **Tiruchi Special Educators Protest Pay Disparity**
TIRUCHI, Tamil Nadu – Advocacy groups in Tiruchi district are protesting a pay disparity between special educators in government-recognized schools and those employed under the Rashtriya Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) scheme. Special educators in government schools earn ₹18,000 per month, while SSA teachers recently received a pay raise to ₹25,000.
Activists argue that both groups contribute equally to increasing enrollment of children with disabilities in mainstream education, yet their compensation differs significantly. They are calling for equal pay and professional contracts including pensions and provident funds, similar to those offered to regular teachers.
The issue is further complicated by the SSA scheme’s funding structure. While ₹100 crore was allocated last year to pay over 30,000 employees, the funding doesn’t account for the varying student numbers and actual need for special educators across institutions. Some schools struggle to fund additional staff, impacting the educator-to-student ratio. Physiotherapists also report concerns about their comparatively lower salaries.
Overburdened with administrative tasks, special educators report limited time for direct interaction with students, negatively impacting their teaching effectiveness. One educator with over 20 years of experience emphasized the need for specialized training and a reduced student-teacher ratio to improve outcomes. Advocates are pushing for increased hiring of special educators to address this issue.
First Piper 