In a first in the country, Kerala is all set to bring thousands of employees in the private education sector, including teachers, under the ambit of the Maternity Benefit Act.

The Centre has given nod to the state’s request to issue the notification to extend the benefits of the Act to the employees of the private education institutions including in the unaided sector.

“It is for the first time that a state government in the country is bringing the unaided private education sector under the ambit of the Maternity Benefit Act,” a Labour department press release said. It further added that the state government had also taken steps to ensure minimum wages to teachers in the unaided sector.

The state cabinet, on August 29, had decided to seek the permission of the Central government to issue the notification considering the plight of the private sector employees, an official release said here.

With the framing of the legislation in this regard, thousands of employees in the private education sector in the state can also avail the 26 weeks maternity leave with salary as guaranteed in the Act like government employees. The employer also has to provide Rs 1,000 to meet their medical expenses, it said.

As per the records with the government, there are around 1,060 unaided private schools in the state. There are 1,433 government aided private high schools in the state and 1,227 government high schools.

Source: PTI