Take up survey work or get fired: Contract teachers had no option

BENGALURU: Its only due to the fear of losing their jobs that contract teachers of city corporation schools are participating in the socio-economic survey work despite facing numerous inconveniences. Most teachers have alleged that they have been threatened by their supervisors and other Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) officials termination if they dont participate in the survey work. Currently, 700 teachers are working on contract basis in schools run by the corporations in Bengaluru. Mujiya Sulthana, a contract teacher at a Shivajinagar school, said, We were told by one of the officials about the consequences of not attending the socio-economic survey during our training programme. The official clearly mentioned that we will be given a termination letter if we dont attend the survey work. With this fear, we have been attending it and the assigned homes are far from our residence and even our school areas. I have been assigned Shivajinagar constituency for the survey. Besides the threat oftermination, Sulthana said contract-based teachers wouldnt be given compensation if they collapse or die during survey work. The government doesnt give a single penny if we die in the line of duty during this survey. However, permanent teachers will get Rs 25 lakh as insurance in case of deaths due to accidents or health issues during the survey. Each teacher is assigned 300 houses and thetime is limited. We are unableto complete10 houses per day asthe information tobe filledis vast, she added. Shayeena Begum, who works in another school, said, I have a heart-related disease. Therefore, I cannot climb stairs and walk long distances. I have informed the health inspector concerned and also produced a medical certificate. Despite this, I have been assigned census work in CV Raman Nagar constituency. I have not attended census work so far away and will not be able to attend it. Puttaraju, a physical education teacher, also complained of being assigned survey work farfrom his home. I stay in Manjunath Nagar in Kurubarahalli and I have been assigned census work in CV Raman Nagar which is 14 km away. I have asked the supervisor to assign the census work in Rajajinagar, a little close to myhome or at leastnear my school in Shivajinagar. However, they didnt. . GBA Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao was not available for comments.