Teachers stage stir demanding better pay

Mangalore, Feb 13: Government teachers and lecturers held a protest in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office under the banner of Karnataka Rajya Shikshakara Mattu Upanyasakara Kriya Samithi in Mangalore on Wednesday urging fulfillment of their demands.

Speaking on the occasion, Shivashankar Bhat, District President, Primary School Teachers' Association, said that primary school teachers, high school teachers and PU lecturers in Karnataka have been getting lesser salaries compared to salaries paid to teaching staff by the central government and other neighboring state governments.

Teachers and lecturers have been drawing lesser salaries compared to government employees of other departments of Karnataka government as well. Although appeals have been made to the government in the past to wipe out the difference in pay, no action has been taken by the government so far, he said.

The protesters also demanded that state government provide house rent allowances to government teachers and lecturers serving in rural areas on the same lines as that of the central government.

The state government has increased the allowances for government teachers in Bangalore from 25% to 30% but government teachers and lecturers serving in rural areas have been neglected, the protesters alleged.