Govt restores pay of `6,000 to sweepers, Ayahs in school

After many months of deliberations, the government finally decided to pay honorarium of Rs 6,000 per month to the sweepers and ayahs working in schools for cleaning the toilets.

The government took a decision to this effect and expected to issue orders in two days.

According to sources, the government announced that it will pay Rs 6,000 per month honorarium to the sweepers cleaning the classrooms and ayahs for cleaning the toilets in February this year.

Later, the government issued orders in May 2021 reducing the honorarium to Rs1,000 per month.

A majority of ayahs and sweepers decided to quit the work and demanded that Rs 6,000 should be paid. Teachers' unions also opposed the decision of the government on payment of Rs1,000 per month for cleaning the toilets.

The government is renovating the schools under Nadu-Nedu scheme and providing all types of facilities. If ayahs don't clean the toilets, the teachers face lot of problems and there is a threat of spreading Covid due to bad condition of toilets. Teachers' union leaders took ayahs and sweepers' problems to the notice of the Director of School Education, Vadrevu Chinaveerabhadrudu.

They informed same to the SCERT Director B Pratap Reddy. The government decided to reopen the schools on August 16 after summer holidays and Covid lockdown.

Interestingly, Covid-19 cases are gradually increasing across the State. So there is a need to keep the classrooms and toilets clean in the schools.

A municipal corporation school teacher on the condition of anonymity said, "Ayah has to clean the toilets in the school at least five to six times per day. Even domestic maids are not coming to clean the utensils in the house for Rs1,000 per month and how can Ayahs can work for Rs1,000 to clean the toilets.

There is need to pay at least Rs 6,000 to Rs 8,000 per month to the ayahs and sweepers. We have informed the same to the higher officials."

MTF state president S Rama Krishna said, "Rs1,000 per month honorarium is not enough to sweepers and ayahs. When the honorarium is reduced, they have stopped cleaning the toilets in the schools. I have taken up this problem with the DSE and SCERT director B Pratap Reddy. The government decided to hike honorarium to Rs 6,000 per month and clear the dues of arrears."