Secondary grade teachers end protest for equal pay after Minister’s assurance

Secondary grade teachers, who have been protesting in Chennai for the past 37 days, decided to end their protest on Saturday, after School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi assured them of a decision based on a three-member committee report.

The Minister, in a release, requested the protesting teachers to return to work. In 2023, the State government formed a three-member committee, comprising the Finance Secretary (Expenditure), the Principal Secretary of the School Education Department and the Director of Elementary Education, to address their issues.

In a press release, Secondary Grade Seniority Teachers’ Association said: “Based on the Minister’s request, we believe that the government will make a good decision. Therefore, the struggle is being temporarily postponed on the basis of goodwill, considering the educational welfare of the students and the physical health of the secondary teachers, who have been struggling for a long time.”

Over 1,000 secondary grade teachers attached to government schools across the State have been protesting for “equal pay for equal work”. They are protesting to highlight the pay disparity among teachers within their pay grade.

Secondary grade teachers appointed before June 1, 2009, receive a basic pay of ₹8,370, while those appointed after that date receive just ₹5,200. At present, post-2009 appointees draw a monthly salary of about ₹20,600, including allowances, compared to the ₹28,950 received by those appointed earlier.

Though two talks were held with officials of the School Education Department and the Minister, no solution was reached.