The plight of the Private Schools and Private School Teachers in Nagaland

Private Schools in Nagaland cater to almost 70% students in the state.None can argue against the view that the private schools fare better than the students taught by the highly qualified teachers in the Government Schools.The recent Matric as well as the Higher Secondary results of 2015 concurs it. This great feat is made possible due to the dedicated teachers who work in the private schools. These Private School Teachers toil hard even in the remotest places where the Government School Teachers are unwilling to stay due to poor connectivity, bad road conditions, backwardness of the area, lack of proper infrastructures or poor Staff Quarters for the Qualified Teachers. But the hard work and the sacrifices done by the dedicated teachers in the private schools are often forgotten. The only shortcut suggestion to help the Private Schools Teachers is that the Proprietors/Owners should pay a descent salary. But keeping in mind the poor economic conditions of the parents, the tuition fees are kept low.But I would like to remind all that it is not only the church runs schools but also other private schools that serve as charitable institutions. And there must be some ways to help and encourage the Private Schools who lay the foundation in most of our children with the basic education. The pitiable thing is that the welfare/shares of the private school teachers are mostly side-lined, disregarded, or devoured.
But I still hope that we can do something to help and encourage these private schools. So, allow me to share few personal points where by the Private Schools and Private School Teachers too can feel a sense that they are doing an honourable job for the state.
1. Thanks to the Government as it is spending alion portion from the Exchequer table for the improvement of education in the state. This is seen in the way the Government is adding more and more schools even in the remotest villages. In fact so much of money is allotted for both infrastructure as well as the man power in the State. At the same time, it is time for the Government to make an honest evaluation with regard to the utilization of these funds. When it fails to produce the desired effects, may be it is time that the Government take some drastic measures to change the policy. Instead of concentrating all the funds for the government run schools alone, the Government can also set aside a considerable amount of money for the welfare of the teaching community that work in the private schools, like many other states in India. It will not only reduce the financial burden of the proprietors but in the long run help the poor parents in a great way.
2. The Teachers Awards: These could be done based on the Ratio of schools and students. I do not agree on the Number of Teachers precisely because there are many Government School Teachers who hardly do their duties but add to the number of Government Teachers.If there are some provisions available, it will be a good thing to select some special teachers’ awards from the private schools alone, be it Cash Award or recognition Certificates. It is because the Government salary is triple or evenmore than that of the private school Teachers’ salary.Besides the regular salary, the government School teachers get TA, DA, and Re-imbursement of bills in case of sickness which the private schools do not enjoy.
3. Grant-in-aid: It is highly appreciated that the Government recognises the private schools by way of providing Grant-in-Aid to private schools. But the manner in which it is given outis very puzzling. No schools would feel bad for excluding its name from the list if the criterion set is made known to the public. For the fear of withdrawal of the amount by the fake Principalsand hiding the list of the selected schools is too lame an excuse.Because the specimen signatures and names of the principals are available in the office, since those details are submitted to the officewhenever there is any change of guard (heads).
4. The different taxes and demands: There are three Governmental Taxes, all for the good of the Teachers,levied from the Private School Teachers i.e.State Employers’ Insurance (ESI), Professional Tax and Employees Provident Fund (EPF). I find it difficult to grasp the logic behind the taxes that come heavily upon those who get a very meagre amount by serving in the Private Schools, in comparison to the Government employees. There is always a complaint that the salaries in the Private schools are too low. Instead of rescuing, the Government seems to feasting onthe sweat of those who have scanty income.Snatching away the portion of their little earning is not justifiable.
While speaking about the State Employees’ Insurance (ESI), branding the educational institutions in par with the other industries is unfair, especially in Nagaland. As mentioned earlier, most of these educational institutions serve as charitable institutions.
Besides, there is hardly any visible or trust-worthy sign shown that the Private Teachers can benefit from the State Employees Insurance (ESI). But the demand from the Private Teachers is hard and strong.
5. Another area where the Private schools employees will be very grateful to is if the Government can demand for a full-fledged EPF office in the state. Due to poor connectivity in the state, the payment of EPF online is one of the biggest headaches for many of the private institutions in the state. Salary is already low and the employers have to add one more person to work with EPF alone is another diversion of funds. Even if one is set aside to do the job, most of the time the schools find it difficult to do the payment on time due to poor connectivity. To add to this misery, for claiming, complaints and rectification, the schools or the individualhave totravel all the way to Guwahati. Nagaland is a separate state since 1963,also there are more than required Number of subscribers or beneficiaries to EPF. I wonder why the concerned department is not working to ask for either a Regional full-fledged EPF office or at leastSub-Regional OfficerEPF office in the state.Recently the EPF Enforcement Officer Centre in Dimapurhas been raised with a specialstatus. But when will it start to function to help our people? Can the Government doessomething about it,who knows?

Fr. George Rino
Cathedral Church, Kohima