The School Education Department, through an order on Tuesday, said it will upgrade 95 government high schools to higher secondary schools and 95 middle schools to high schools during the academic year.

Earlier, as part of the State budget, it was announced that 100 high schools and 100 middle schools would be upgraded to higher secondary schools and high schools respectively.

Following this, government orders were issued to upgrade five schools in each category in the 2018-19 academic year in the first phase.

The remaining 95 in each category will now need to be upgraded. Permission has been given to upgrade the remaining schools and a corresponding increase in salaries will follow for the faculty, according to the order.

In schools that are being upgraded to higher secondary school, faculty in the salary slab of Rs 36,000 to Rs 1.16 lakh will be upgraded to Rs 56,900 to Rs 1.80 lakh. Select subject teachers (including Tamil, English, Maths, and Humanities) will get salaries in Rs 36,900 to Rs1.16 lakh bracket.

In schools that are being upgraded to high schools, faculty in the salary slab of Rs 36,000- Rs1.14 lakh will fall in the Rs 36,400- Rs 1.15 lakh slab.

The order says that a teacher-pupil ratio of 1:40 must be maintained in all these schools. It has also said three new degree teachers may be appointed if the student intake increases for history, commerce and economics subjects.