School teachers in Chechnya complain of systematic withholdings from their salaries

Teachers of some general educational institutions in Chechnya report that their bosses withhold money - in the range of 400-600 roubles on the average - from their salaries. The Ministry of Education of Chechnya states that there are no written applications or oral complaints about it from school teachers. Law enforcement bodies also know nothing about such facts.

"I teach two subjects; plus I'm a classroom teacher and run a circle in school; my salary is 8000 roubles a month. This is on paper. In reality, almost every month some 400-600 roubles are withheld from my salary; same with all the teachers. Asking explanations from the principal is useless. The answer is always the same: withholding is necessity; those who disagree may leave," a teacher of a school in the Chechen capital, who asked not to name him, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"I'd have gone long ago, if there could be a chance to find another job. But it is not the case," said the teacher.

His woman-colleague - a teacher of the Russian language and literature in another school in Grozny - talks about the same: "Our salaries are actually cut back almost every month. Where the money goes - nobody knows. Our bosses either embezzle it themselves or give them up as a 'rollback' to their bosses."

She notes that recently checks in schools have become more frequent; they are carried out by young officials from the Department of Education. "School principals need no problems; therefore, they pay money to inspectors. Also, from time to time, they have to pay 'tribute' to the top. Here, we are already talking about amounts to 30-50,000 roubles. And where can a school director take that kind of money? Only from his or her subordinates, that is from us - teachers. Of course, nobody will confirm or refute such facts. But this is a system that works for a long time," said the teacher.

The spokesman from the Ministry of Education of the Chechen Republic has treated these allegations as "fantasies and delusions," although could not rule out that some unscrupulous school managers may be trying to improve their financial position at the account of their subordinates.

The local law enforcement bodies also noted that in order to run any investigations as to the cases of non-payment of or withholdings from salaries, or other violations of the law, they need written complaints from the victims in such cases. "Neither recently nor long ago had we received any applications on unlawful withholdings from salaries," said a law enforcement official.