THOOTHUKUDI: Several hundred teachers employed at government institutions by private NGOs have urged district collector Dr K Senthil Raj to recover their salary and deposits, pending for the past few months.
The teachers said they were employed by NGOs--Aadhava Trust in Arumuganeri and Neem Foundation in Thoothukudi--at government and government-aided schools in the district. They paid deposits ranging from Rs 50,000, Rs 2 lakh, and Rs 3 lakh to the NGOs for getting the job with an assured monthly salary of Rs 15,000. At least 3,500 teachers were employed by the two NGOs at various government and government-aided schools in several districts since 2019. However, the NGOs stopped giving salaries for the teachers since January as they allegedly became bankrupt.
Sources in the education department said the NGOs were allowed to employ teachers for the vacant posts based on a circular issued by the school education department on September 16, 2019.
"Aadhava Trust executed an agreement with teachers stating that the advances are donations for the NGO, however, the teachers were orally informed that they will get back the money when they quit the job. Aadhava Trust director absconded when the issue surfaced," the teachers said.
A representative from Neem foundation told The New Indian Express they recruited teachers with good intention, but the teachers became overly-ambitious after joining. "We are finding donations from the public, philanthropists and well-wishers to run the organisation and release salaries for the teachers. We will definitely return the deposits first and the salary before August 31," he said.
A teacher said she had given Rs 2 lakh as deposit to the Aadhava Trust for the job, however, she did not get the salary since January. Another teacher employed by Neem Foundation said she has not received the salary since March. "The NGO released salaries for January and February only after a severe confrontation with the management," she said.
When asked, Thoothukudi Chief Education Officer told TNIE she was unaware of such circulars. It may be noted that the current CEO assumed the Thoothukudi office a few months ago. The aggrieved teachers urged the district administration to register a case against the office bearers of the NGOs and bring them before the law.
Several teachers with whom TNIE spoke, refused to reveal their identities, fearing that the NGOs will not repay their deposits and salaries.