Specialist teachers in Kerala, recruited to foster creativity and physical fitness in government schools, are grappling with severe financial hardship. Appointed under the Samagra Shiksha Kerala (SSK) project, formerly Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, these educators specialise in teaching arts, drawing, needlework, and physical education. However, they allege that their monthly compensation does not reflect their demanding work schedules.

When these teachers were first recruited through employment exchanges in 2016, they received a monthly salary of ₹28,000 for a six-day work week. Subsequently, the Centre reduced their official working days to three days a week. This policy shift triggered a drastic reduction in their monthly pay, first to ₹14,000 and then to a meagre ₹7,000. Following intense protests and campaigns by the teachers, their salary was eventually revised to ₹13,500, which remains their current pay scale.

The illusion of part-time work
While their official employment is capped at three days a week, the teachers reveal that the practical reality is vastly different. Most specialist teachers are assigned to at least two different schools, often separated by distances of over 10 kilometres. For physical education instructors, training students across multiple schools in just three days is an impossible task. Consequently, many end up working four to five days a week without any additional compensation.

Struggling for survival
To make ends meet, many of these educators are forced to take up odd jobs and daily wage labour on their off days. Compounding their misery, they face frequent delays in receiving even this modest salary. Beyond regular classes, these teachers bear the responsibility of preparing students, including those with special educational needs, for state-level arts and sports festivals.

A funding tug-of-war
District SSK officials have acknowledged the issue and stated that they have recommended a salary hike for the specialist teachers. However, funding remains a major bottleneck. Out of the current monthly salary of ₹13,500, the Kerala state government contributes ₹9,000, while the Centre provides only ₹4,500. Additionally, because Kerala has not joined the central government's PM SHRI school scheme, certain SSA funds remain withheld, placing almost the entire financial burden on the state exchequer.