Tulu language teachers not paid honorarium for the past 3 years

Team Udayavani, Aug 28, 2023, 10:04 AM IST

Tulu language teachers at 42 schools in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi have not been paid honorariums for the past 3 years. The efforts to preserve the Tulu language are bound to suffer due to this.

Teaching the Tulu language and script as a third language started after the World Tulu Conference held at Ujire in 2009 appealed to the state government. Teaching started in 42 schools of the twin districts following the efforts of Tulu Sahitya Academy.

It is learnt that an honorarium of Rs 3,000 per month to Tulu teachers has not been paid. A total of Rs 27.6 lakh is pending between August 2020 and August 2023. Recruitment of Tulu teachers both on a full-time and guest basis has also been neglected in these years.

Member of Karnataka Legislative Council K. Harish Kumar had recently written a letter to the Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi highlighting these concerns.

Headmasters, teachers, and SDMC members had also brought the issue to the notice of higher-ups but nothing worked.

Manohar Kamath, Registrar of Tulu Sahitya Academy said that there have been several rounds of negotiations with the government regarding the salary of Tulu language teachers. A decision could not be reached in the wake of the state Assembly elections. The matter has been conveyed to the new government which has promised to look into the matter, he added.

When contacted, Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi said that he is aware of the pending honorarium for Tulu teachers. “Action will be taken after discussing the matter with the Tulu Academy,” he said.