KOCHI: Over 1,000 teachers in various government-aided schools in the state are likely to be deprived of their salaries from January next year. For, technical glitches in the Service and Payroll Administrative Repository for Kerala (SPARK) are preventing the clearance of their salary bills of the February-May period. Due to this, teachers are unable to withdraw their salaries for the period.
"Since we cannot withdraw our salaries for the period, our pay scales won't be revised when the salary revision is effected. This will burden us financially," said Anoob John, one of the affected teachers. The primary issue, said the teachers, was the lack of provision for the deduction of provident fund in SPARK for aided school teachers.
"As per the government order, while processing salaries via SPARK of those appointed since 2006, an amount for the period has to be deposited in PF. However, there is no such provision in the software. When we try to withdraw the amount, the district education officers reject our bills citing the above reason. We are asked to contact officials managing SPARK to get the issue resolved," said Anoob.
This is easier said than done. "The restrictions put in place due to the pandemic prevents us from approaching SPARK officials. We try to call them but nobody picks up the phone. We tried emailing our grievances, but there was no response. It has been six months. Our salary bills are yet to be passed. We are in a dire situation due to this," said Smitha K Vijayan, another teacher.
Asha MP, another teacher, said once salary revision comes into force, the issue will become severe if the glitches are not rectified. Anoob said the government must initiate steps to resolve the glitches in SPARK and either give an option to merge the salary with PF or allow them to withdraw it. "Corrective steps are required at the earliest," he said.