Chandigarh, Sep 3 (IANS): Hundreds of teachers in private aided colleges in Punjab will hold a protest Sep 5 - Teachers' Day - against the failure of the Punjab government to release grants to these colleges.

As a result of this, teachers have been without salaries for months.

Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers' Union (PCCTU) vice president Jagwant Singh Wednesday said teachers of the affected colleges, who have not got their salaries for eight to 12 months, will protest for two hours on Teachers' Day to highlight their plight.

He said college education in Punjab was in a mess due to the apathy of the Punjab government.

"A unique situation has emerged in aided colleges of Punjab on this Teachers' Day. Teaching and non-teaching staff is without salary due to failure of the Punjab government to release committed grants since May 2013.

"In majority of colleges staff is without salary for a period ranging from 8 months to 12 months. Colleges could pay one month salary from the money received at the time of fresh admission in July," Singh said here.

Singh said the Punjab government should refrain from celebrating Teachers' Day in the given circumstances.

He said even inserting advertisements in the media congratulating teachers on Teachers' Day would be meaningless and a wasteful exercise.