Being a private school teacher in Kashmir!

I would love to start with the quote of Imam Ali (as) “A man who has taught me even a single alphabet has surely made me his slave”.

Hopefully! You would have understood, what am I going to talk about? Yes! This is exactly about a group or I can say a family of unnoticed and underrated teachers. Sorry! Private school teachers.

Whenever results, performances and records of schools are comparatively presented. We undoubtedly see majority of the private schools performing far better than the Govt schools. And simultaneously
witness better discipline, exposure and communication skills among private school students. And majority of the parents feel proud of the scores and performances their children perform in the private schools.

However, being a parent or guardian question yourself; What and where the actual difference lies? In most of the cases you see govt school teachers more qualified than private school teachers. Then what makes private schools perform better then Govt schools? There are surely clear and exact answers that came to your mind after reading the question here. But Alas! Have you ever thought about the private school teachers who made your child perform better than the Govt school students? Do they get what they actually deserve? I am sure, this may hurt many of the govt school teachers. But believe you can’t feel the pain of the private school teachers. You give duty for six hours in schools and stay calm till the next morning. They are obliged to work extra hours at home for tomorrow to present better results of their students.

There might be many of the reasons you know about this difference. The reason of paying private school teachers less than a labor can earn; Turn your head up for a while, put your brain and think. How many private school teachers are there in your village/town or colony, Who live comfortable and settled life? Be honest while comparing them with other daily wage laborers. You will come to know, majority of them do compromise and are compelled by the needs. This has not ended yet. You all would be knowing this better than me that, how much a driver is paid driving a school bus in a private school. And in the same school, ask teachers how much they are paid? And surely in most of the cases a bus driver of a private school gets more salary for two or three hours of driving than teachers of the same school for teaching six hours in school and giving two hours of preparation at home.

Hello! I am not against handsome salary of govt school teachers. I wish they could receive double their present salary. My pivotal and focal point is, that private school teachers don’t get what they seriously deserve based on their performances. What hurts more is that parents can protest on fees hike, students can protest for their rights, even drivers can protest by leaving the job and joining a ne.
Students have parents and guardians behind. Drivers have options before. School owners have private schools association to protests. And unfortunately private school teachers have none. Majority of the teachers remain in a threat of losing the job if protested for salary although performing cent percent. They usually remain in fear for having no options for the whole session. I repeat this may go beyond the heads of majority. But ask all these questions to a private school teacher and present your review here. I can say they are the dedicated, hardworking and oppressed family of the valley.

You see whenever a private school publishes teacher requirement advertisement, you may find a list of academic and technical degrees private school demands from the teachers. When the same teacher expresses the expected salary as advertised - salary negotiable- they receive the response: Sorry! We can’t give you more than this. After being rejected in many schools, they compromise and make themselves ready on the amount offered by the school management.

The feelings of the private school teachers are quite different. They are surely the fighters. As the winter vacations are approaching. Many teachers would heartily pay goodbye to their jobs. And find any other options to meet their daily needs. This family (private school teachers) always goes unnoticed for their tremendous work. They are truly the builders of nation for facing and bearing lots of difficulties and hardships yet don’t resist. They overwhelmingly need applause and appreciation as others get. They surely need to be paid handsome salaries as others get.

BY Saif Ali

Saif Ali Budgami, freelance writer