Status of Para-teachers in India All India Primary Teachers’ Federation

Status of Para-teachers in India Para-teachers are not being appointed in India alone. They are being appointed in other developing countries too particularly in Africa, Latin America, China: Appointment of para-teachers is being made at the instance of World Bank for cost effectiveness and efficiency in education. West and Central Africa a) i) Senegal ii) Niger Half of teaching workforce contract teachers b) Guinea39 per cent c)Togo31 per cent b) Cameroon20 per cent Chad and Ivory Coast no contract teachers Latin AmericaPeru11 per cent Chile20 per cent

In India, number of para-teachers is growing steadily; About 0.7 million para-teachers; In Uttar Pradesh alone 1.70 lakh para-teachers; They constituted 10.48% of the total teaching workforce in Presently they may be around 15%; Predominantly employed in rural areas (93%); About 54% professionally untrained. In a number of states, professional qualification is not necessary for being a teacher. (AP, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, UP, Uttarakhand, WB) Percentage of Para-teachers in India

More than 7.7% of schools are being manned by para-teachers alone; Some States have stopped recruitment of regular teachers; (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Odisha, W.B., Haryana) Infrastructure facilities woefully poor; Government run primary schools have become temples of learning of the poorest of the poor. Quality of Instruction

Rate of absenteeism among para-teachers higher than regular teachers in Peru (World Bank study); Efficiency of para-teachers starts declining after a period; Depression sets in Induction training inadequate Generates leaders Back door entry of para-teachers Favoritism and corruption in appointment of para- teachers

Canon of Social Justice Para-teachers being exploited because they are paid remuneration (1/4 or 1/5 ) than regular teachers; No gratuity, No. pension Only few states regularize their services (Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha and H.P.) Minimum wage (hardly sufficient to maintain family of four members; and This is happening in a welfare state.

AIPTF Policy Quality teacher for quality education - Teaching is a profession. Only professionals can improve quality of education. Talented individuals need to be attracted to the profession. They need to imparted rigorous training to render them professional. Stoppage of recruitment of Para-teachers. Bringing Para-teachers to the mainstream by providing them necessary professional training.