KOZHIKODE: A teacher from Thamarassery, who died by suicide due to not receiving her salary and permanent job at Kattippara, has been provisionally approved by the General Education Department a month after her death.
The teacher, identified as Aleena Benny (30), ended her life on February 19 being frustrated by working without a salary due to technical reasons for five years. The order approving the appointment of Aleena as LPST (lower primary school teacher) was issued on March 15.
Benny worked in an aided school for about five years without getting legal recognition or a salary. The Thamarassery AEO P Vinod approved the temporary LPST appointment process and published it on the Samanwaya website.
The order has only approved Aleena's appointment at the Kodenchery St Joseph LP School on a daily wage basis at a rate of Rs 955 per day and Aleena's family will now be able to receive the salary and related benefits from June 5, 2024, when she was transferred to Kodenchery St Joseph LP School, until February 19, 2025, when she died.
Prior to her death, Benny worked temporarily at Nazareth LP School from June 17, 2019, to December 31, 2019, and as a probationary LPST from July 22, 2021, after obtaining the K-TET qualification, but her service was not recognized.
The order states that, "The appointment in the pay scale from June 5, 2024, have been temporarily approved on a daily wage basis, limited to the period until the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, comes into effect."
Aleena's father had raised allegations against the school management for neglecting their conditions and petitions. It was said that the Thamarassery Archdiocese Corporate Management and the government were responsible for Aleena Benny's suicide.
The Thamarassery Archdiocese Corporate Management had explained that the allegations against the management in Aleena Benny's death were baseless. The management says that the teacher could not get a permanent appointment due to technical obstacles in the reservation for differently-abled people under the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act.
The Catholic Laymen's Association has come forward to order an investigation under the Prevention of Corruption Act into Benny's death. The demand for action against the General Education department officers at the Sub-District level who delayed the appointment file, is now gaining strength.
"We have not received the order yet. From what I have heard, they have only approved Aleena's service in the last nine months. There is still no positive action from the department for her five years of service," said Aleena's father.