New Delhi: The Supreme Court has issued notices to the Central Government and state governments on a public interest petition filed seeking the establishment of a national welfare board for private self-financing school teachers. The court has ordered them to respond within four weeks.
Lijimol George, the national coordinator of the All India Teachers’ Federation, has filed this public interest petition in the Supreme Court. It states that across the country, more than 9.8 million teachers are working in about 1.472 million schools, and that in recognized private unaided schools alone, 3.73 million teachers are carrying out the indispensable public duty of imparting education.
The petition has emphasized that a “National Private School Teachers Welfare Board” should be established in a manner that protects and upholds these teachers’ constitutional rights, dignity, social security, and public welfare.
Furthermore, it has been demanded that a comprehensive legal framework be created to ensure a uniform pension scheme, gratuity, medical insurance, and post-retirement social security for all private school teachers across the country. The petition has also requested the court to issue appropriate orders to the Central and State governments in this regard.
Adjourned to the 9th
The petition came up for hearing before a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta. After considering the petition, the judges ordered that notices be issued to the Central Government and the state governments concerned, seeking their response. The case has been adjourned to October 9 for the next stage of hearing.