Teachers’ Day failed to bring a smile on the faces of contract teachers working across government schools in the state.

Around 3.75 lakh teachers working in 72,000 government schools, who get a monthly remuneration between Rs 9,000 and Rs 12,000, would have to continue work for the same amount.

Chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi made the announcement during a programme organised by the education department on Friday to celebrate Teachers’ Day.

“We neither have any plan nor the resources to increase the remuneration of the contract teachers,” Manjhi said. He added: “The contract teachers should understand that the state government has limited resources and what the government gives to them as remuneration is more than what other states give.”

The government’s decision is likely to create unrest among the contract teachers who have been pressing for an increase in salaries for long.

Puran Chand, president, Bihar Panchayat Nagar Prambhik Sikshak Sangh, said: “On August 21, the Sangh members met chief minister Manjhi and education minister Brishen Patel and apprised them about their problems and demanded implementation of equal work equal salaries for teachers working in government schools.”

Chand said though the government refused to implement equal work equal salaries for teachers of the schools, the chief minister and education minister assured them that a decision would be taken to increase the remuneration to a respectable amount soon.

The contract teachers’ association president stated that the government has betrayed lakhs of teachers and threatened to continue agitation in support of their demands.

The education minister said the government would take steps to build confidence among teachers. The minister, however, didn’t elaborate the confidence-building measures he had in store for the teachers.