Kochi: The High Court on Friday asked the state to submit an affidavit on a petition seeking to entrust to the Public Service Commission the appointment of teachers in government-aided schools and colleges under private managements. Petitioner K.M. Salim of Kollam has sought a change in the existing system whereby the authority to appoint teachers rests with the individual managements of the institution.
He approached the court after the state government informed him that it has no plans to change the existing system. The existing system is against the Constitution and needed to be changed, he said. The management having the authority to appoint teachers while the responsibility of the salary payment rests with the government is against the spirit of the Constitution, he stated.
He also submitted that as per the Kerala Education Act of 1958, the authority for appointing teachers was with the government. The provision was changed through an ordinance in 1960 by the then government without any justification. The system prevailing in Kerala has been a major drain on the resources of Kerala and burden for the tax payers as the government has no control over the appointment of teachers while majority of the government-aided private managements running schools and colleges are known to charge huge amounts as donation for appointments as teachers.
The petition came up for consideration of the court while dalit scholars are alleging a systematic exclusion of SC/ST candidates from teaching profession in the state as private aided school and college managements do not follow the principle of reservation in appointments. Mr O.P. Raveendran, a dalit scholar and author of a book titled ‘Private Colonies in Public Education Sector’ published recently provides a detailed account of the deprivation suffered by persons belonging to SC/ST communities due to the denial of reservation quota by the private managements despite getting money from the government for salary payment.
