KOZHIKODE: Around 20,000 youngsters, who have majored in fine arts, remain unemployed as no appointments have been made since 1992 for art teachers in government and aided schools in the state. Mr Ramakrishnan Modakkallur, district president, Indian National Artist Union Congress (INAUC), told Deccan Chronicle that for the last many years the youngsters have been running from pillar to post in search of a job. “There are around 800 seats vacant in government UP schools for art teachers in the state,” he pointed out.
A report says that art teachers will be appointed on contract basis for one year in schools having more than 100 students. Mr Rajesh Babu, INAUC district general secretary, said that all the new appointments should be on permanent basis. “As job opportunities are minimal, many are working in private institutions which provide them meagre salaries,” he added. The INAUC will submit a petition to the state government this month to address the issue.
Mr Girish Cholayil, deputy director of education, said that as the art teachers were categorised under the special teacher category, appointments will be made when the school has above 500 students. “Teachers specialised in needle work will be appointed if the school has more than 500 girl students,” he said. The vacancies are very low as the number of students in government schools is going down, he added.
