By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The State Government on Monday sanctioned over Rs 24.10 crore for payment of salary to 3,852 non-government and government lower primary school teachers of the 15 sub-divisions under the Non-Plan posts with effect from December 2012 to February 2013 following the threat of agitation by the teachers under the banner of All Meghalaya Primary School Teachers Association (AMPSTA).
The amount was sanctioned with DA at 56 per cent for payment of salary to 3,460 non-government and 392 government LP school teachers under Non-Plan.
The order resulted in suspension of the agitation programme called by the AMPSTA, which had decided to stage a sit-in demonstration on Tuesday as a mark of protest against the delay in payment of the salary to the primary school teachers of the State.
The members of AMPSTA who had gathered at Students’ field in Jaiaw were
informed about the development even as they hoped that the government would ‘open its doors’ to discuss other matters relating to the welfare of the teaching community which included head teacher allowances, maternity and retirement benefits.
Speaking to reporters, AMPSTA general secretary FC Shullai said that the organization has decided to suspend its stir following the fulfilment of one of its demands. “Failure of the Education Department to address our issue got us into the agitation mode. But now with the grant-in aid being sanctioned, we have decided to suspend our stir,” Shullai said.
Meanwhile, the AMPSTA has also extended its support to the All India Primary School Teachers’ Federation (ALPSTF) in its move to oppose the Union Government’s decision to privatise elementary education through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
Shullai informed that he, along with 200 teachers from the across the region, would join the protest called by the ALPSTF at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on April 4.