Mumbai: The state government has announced regularising the services of 3,105 special teachers and administrators working in the state-run schools. The decision was taken during a meeting between Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, school education minister Deepak Kesarkar and members of the state legislature and education officials.
The special teachers, who were appointed as part of the centrally-sponsored 'Samagra Shiksha' scheme in 2006, have been fighting a prolonged legal battle to receive benefits at par with regular teachers. In November last year, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court had issued non-bailable warrants against the school education officials for failing to comply with its orders on paying arrears to these teachers.
Shinde said that in addition to absorbing these staffers, who have been working on contract basis since 2006, the state may also appoint more special teachers to cater to around 2.41 lakh specially-abled students enrolled in government schools.
The presence of special teachers will be increased across the state with one special teacher appointed at each of the school clusters, consisting of 8-10 schools. Earlier, the government had decided to have only two teachers in each of the talukas.
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Following the meeting, the government also decided to form a committee to look into the teachers' prolonged demand about implementing the old pension scheme. The panel, which will be headed by education commissioner Suraj Mandhare and will include teachers' representatives, will evaluate the financial burden on the exchequer if the scheme is implemented.
