By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Continuing their agitation for fulfillment of a series of demands, thousands of school and college teachers on Tuesday observed ‘mass casual leave’.
The mass casual leave is part of the ongoing first phase of agitation by teachers from the across the state under the banner of the Joint Action Committee of All Teacher Associations of Meghalaya (JACATAM).
The mass casual leave affected over 4047 ad hoc and deficit schools of 11 districts of the state.
“The adamant attitude of the State Government has compelled the teachers to take such steps,” JACATAM chairman E D Nongsiang told reporters here on Tuesday.
According to him, the teachers demanded that the talks, if initiated, should be ‘unconditional’.
The agitating teachers want to hold unconditional discussion with the Education minister and not officers.
The state government has refused to extend talks with teachers but in a statement requested them to refrain from any action and said that it would examine only those issues which are considered ‘reasonable’.
Nongsiang said the committee was yet to receive any official invitation for talks.
Tuesday’s agitation will be followed by sit-in-demonstrations (dharnas) in 23 zones in the eleven districts of the state on September 4 besides boycotting the Teacher’s Day celebrations in the state by holding a protest rally to be held at Malki ground on September 5.
In Shillong, the dharna will be held at Students’ Field at Jaiaw and Madan Mawpun, Upper Shillong from 10am till 2pm.
In East Jaintia Hills, the dharna will be held at Khliehriat, in West Jaintia Hills at Jowai and Raliang Mawkyndeng, in Ri Bhoi at Nongpoh (near the office of the district school education officer) and Umroi Mini stadium, in East Khasi Hills at Smit, Pynursla, Sohra Saitsohpen and Mawsynram, in West Khasi Hills at Mairang, Nongshillong, Nongstoiñ and Riangdo and in South West Khasi Hills at Mawkyrwat.
The members from Garo Hills will be coming to Shillong to take part in the agitational programme.
AMHATA extends support: Meanwhile, the All Meghalaya Hindi Ad-hoc Teachers’ Association (AMHATA) has extended its support to JACATAM).
It may be mentioned here that the condition of the Hindi teachers in the state are one of the worst as they have to manage with meagre salary. This meagre salary has also compelled several Hindi teachers to leave their job and take up assignments in other organizations, which is more profitable. “This has also resulted in manpower crisis among Hindi teachers in the state,” said the secretary of AMHATA.
