In every classroom across the country, there stands a teacher shaping young minds, correcting mistakes, encouraging dreams, and building futures. Yet, behind the blackboard smiles and disciplined voices, thousands of private school teachers live a life of uncertainty, neglect, and silent suffering. Their struggle rarely makes headlines, but it deserves to be heard.

Private school teachers form the backbone of the education system. They teach the same syllabus, carry the same responsibilities, and face the same pressure as government school teachers. In many cases, they work even harder, handling larger classes, stricter management, and constant performance evaluations. Still, their contribution remains undervalued, underpaid, and largely ignored.
One of the biggest issues faced by private school teachers is low and irregular salary. Many teachers are paid far below the minimum wage. Some receive salaries that are delayed for months, while others are forced to accept deductions without explanation. There are teachers who earn less than daily wage laborers despite holding postgraduate degrees, professional qualifications, and years of experience. Passion for teaching keeps them going, but passion alone cannot feed a family.
Job insecurity is another painful reality. A private school teacher can lose their job overnight without notice, without reason, and without compensation. There are no strong service rules, no protection laws, and no proper grievance redressal system. A single complaint, a fall in enrollment, or even personal bias can end a teacher’s career in an instant. Living under constant fear of termination takes a serious toll on mental health.
Unlike government teachers, most private school teachers do not receive pension, medical benefits, paid maternity leave, or job security. Many female teachers are forced to leave their jobs during pregnancy or after childbirth because schools refuse to provide paid maternity leave. This is not just unfair it is inhuman. Teachers who dedicate their lives to nurturing children are denied basic dignity in their own lives.
Working hours in private schools often extend far beyond the classroom. Teachers are expected to take extra classes, check notebooks at home, prepare lesson plans, attend meetings, manage events, and even handle administrative work often without any additional pay. Sundays, holidays, and vacations exist only on paper. The workload is heavy, but appreciation is rare.
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed this injustice even more clearly. While teachers worked day and night to adapt to online teaching, many private school teachers were either paid half salaries or not paid at all. Some were asked to work without any salary, while others were removed from service quietly. Their sacrifices were forgotten as soon as schools reopened.
Despite all this, private school teachers continue to give their best. They motivate students, guide them emotionally, and often spend their own money on classroom materials. They do this not for rewards, but because they believe in the power of education. Yet belief should not come at the cost of exploitation.
What makes this situation more painful is the lack of recognition. Society praises teachers on special days, shares quotes, and posts messages, but real respect lies in fair pay, job security, and humane treatment. Applause does not replace rights.
There is an urgent need for government intervention. Clear policies must be framed to regulate private schools, ensure minimum salary standards, timely payments, maternity benefits, and job protection for teachers. Education departments should regularly monitor private institutions and take strict action against exploitation. Teacher associations must be strengthened, and teachers must be encouraged to raise their voices without fear.
Private school teachers do not ask for luxury. They ask for stability, dignity, and fairness. They ask for a system that values their service and protects their rights. A nation that neglects its teachers weakens its future, because education cannot thrive on injustice.
It is time we stop treating private school teachers as invisible workers. Their struggle is real, their contribution is immense, and their voices deserve space not just in classrooms, but also in policies, debates, and newspapers.
Let this not remain a silent struggle any longer.

Email:----------------sahilmudasir98@gmail.com