Teachers awaiting payments from SCERT for textbook preparation work

The Kerala SCERT Text Book Writers and Trainers Forum has accused the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) of delaying allowances for teachers and subject experts who took part in textbook writing from 2023-24 as part of school curriculum revision.

Nearly 800 teachers took part in the textbook preparation process in the past two years. They also prepare teachers’ handbook and module for teachers’ training and lead the training. As they have not been paid the allowance for even half the number of workshops they attended, they are staying away from preparing the teacher text. This, in turn, has impacted learning in the classes. For instance, the SCERT has published the teacher text for only three of the five units that are to be taught in Mathematics in the first term to Class X students. It’s a similar situation for other subjects too.

They alleged that the SCERT Director had promised in April that the arrears would be paid in phases. Since the teachers who took part in textbook writing were still awaiting payment five months later, they were preparing to launch protests and legal proceedings, the forum said in a statement here on Tuesday.