By Our Reporter
Shillong: Irked with the adamant stand of the State Government towards resolving their various demands, a large chunk of the teaching community of the State, including the primary, upper primary and secondary school teachers, have called for separate agitations to press for their demands.
Teachers of non-government deficit primary schools under the banner of All Meghalaya Primary School Teachers’ Association (AMPSTA) have already taken a head start in the agitation by wearing black badges to duty from Monday to Wednesday to be followed by boycott of classes from July 6 to 9, followed by a sit-in demonstration in Shillong from August 2. The AMPSTA has also released an appeal seeking public support for their agitation.
“The primary non-government deficit school teachers who draw deficit scale of pay are not entitled to CPF and gratuity,” the AMPSTA appeal stated.
Their main demands include regular disbursement of salary on a monthly basis, retirement benefits, allowance for head teachers, advance increment for higher qualification, inclusion of teachers appointed by the then deputy inspector of schools and the administrators of schools, 30 per cent arrear under revised pay 2007 and appointment of more staff in all the offices of the Sub-Divisional School Education Officer.
“We have started our agitation and we will not rest until our demands are fulfilled,” AMPSTA general secretary FC Shullai said on Wednesday.
Other associations joining AMPSTA in the protest included All Garo Primary School Teachers’ Association, Jaintia Hills Lower Primary School Teachers’ Association and All Primary School Teachers’ Association.
Meanwhile, the primary school teachers under the banner of Meghalaya Upper Primary School Teachers’ Association (MUPSTA) have also decided to hold a one-day sit-in-demonstration at the State Central library on July 11 from 10.30 am to 5 pm.
Meanwhile, the secondary school teachers under the banner of Khasi Jaintia Deficit School Teachers’ Association (KJDSTA) have also served a 45-day ultimatum on the government to fulfill their demands which include release of pending 30 per cent arrears recommended under the Meghalaya Fourth Pay Commission to its members numbering around 2,367. The deadline will expire on August 15.
It may be noted that there are around 4,000 teachers teaching in around 3,900 non-government deficit schools in Meghalaya.