JOWAI: The education scam continues to haunt former Education Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh as the Supreme Court is set to take up the matter on Monday.
The LP School teachers of Meghalaya whose services were terminated for almost two years, due to infamous education scam during 2010-11, had filed a special leave petition (SLP) in the apex court against the state government and finally the case has been listed for Monday, sources said.
Earlier during the hearing of the plea on April 21, 2014 by several ‘tainted’ petitioners whose services were terminated, the Supreme Court in its order had made the formation of High Level Scrutiny Committee (HLSC) which probed the education scam as non-functional by staying the order of the Division bench of the Gauhati High Court which facilitated the formation of HLSC. The order of the Apex Court had given interim relief to many affected teachers.
It was on February 28, 2014 that the State Government had terminated the services of 246 tainted teachers based on the recommendations of the HLSC.
Sources, however, said that the government was not responsive and did not pay heed to the order issued by the Supreme Court.
Speaking to this correspondent, one of the affected teachers informed that the condition of all the affected teachers is that they are running from pillar to post as they had lost the jobs after rendering service for more than four years in the teaching job in five sub-divisions including Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills region. The teachers whose services were terminated are living under poverty and the worst scenario is that most of them are having no alternative jobs for their livelihood, the teacher said.
It may be mentioned that it was during the tenure of Congress led MUA government that the scam of appointment of LP School teachers during 2010-11 by way of manipulating their marks took place.
Those who were at the helm of affairs include the then Education Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh and the then Director of Education and literacy JD Sangma.
A petition to probe the scam resulted in the erstwhile Shillong Bench of Guahati High Court ordering CBI inquiry followed by the formation of HLSC that recommended termination of services of 246 teachers without prior notice and a chance to be heard while no action was taken against the Minister, MLAs and officers allegedly involved whereas teachers were made scapegoats by the Government, according to the affected teachers.
Leader of the affected teachers from Jowai, Shiva E Siangshai said, “We want justice and our plea in this regard, however, was rejected by Meghalaya Government. Now we put our hopes on the intervention of the Supreme Court”.