On winter mornings in Kashmir, teachers reach private classes before the sun rises over the mountains. Frost clings to the ground. Their bags hold lessons planned late into the night. Many believe they are walking into a place that values learning and care. For a growing number, that belief does not last.
The truth is, private schools are forcing teachers to resign. The pressure rarely appears in writing. It shows up through constant office calls, sharp warnings, and salaries held back without explanation. Schools that speak about discipline and values often strip teachers of dignity behind closed doors.
The pattern is clear. A teacher asks about unpaid wages or questions an unfair workload. Soon after, the school labels her a problem. The principal questions her performance. Someone mentions parent complaints that never appear on record. Her name drops from staff messages. Colleagues pull away. The goal is simple: wear her down.
The principal calls her in during class hours. The accountant reminds her who controls her salary. The coordinator spreads doubts about her work.
Each conversation chips away at her confidence. Over time, the pressure becomes impossible to ignore.
The final message arrives without delay. Resign on your own, or face consequences.
Schools threaten to stop salaries, deny experience certificates, and damage future job prospects. Teachers know these documents decide whether another school will hire them. Many feel trapped. They sign resignation letters they never planned to write. The school then records the exit as voluntary.
Managements defend these actions as routine decisions. The real reasons remain obvious. Forced resignations help schools avoid paying winter and summer salaries. They allow management to replace experienced teachers with cheaper hires. They remove staff who question unfair practices. Fear becomes a tool to keep control.
Teachers carry the stress home. Sleep becomes difficult. Confidence fades. Some leave teaching altogether. Others stay silent, afraid their names will circulate among school owners as troublemakers. Years of work disappear without respect or closure.
Kashmir already carries enough uncertainty. Schools should offer stability. Many private institutions do the opposite. Laws ban harassment, salary denial, and forced resignations.
But oversight stays weak. Complaints often lead to punishment instead of protection. Silence feels safer than speaking.
Students notice when teachers vanish. Classrooms feel the absence. Children learn lessons beyond textbooks when authority crushes fairness. Education loses its moral ground when fear runs the workplace.
Education departments must verify resignations. Schools should provide written reasons for teacher exits. Independent inspections must speak to staff without management present. Principals and committees that force resignations should face penalties. Teachers need a clear place to seek help.
Parents also play a role. Asking why a teacher left creates pressure schools cannot ignore. Ethical schools answer openly. Others rely on silence.
Teachers are not disposable workers. They build futures. When schools treat them as replaceable, education itself suffers.
Kashmir’s classrooms deserve honesty and care. The people who teach there deserve security, respect, and fairness.
Sincerely,
Mohammad Nadeem Parray
