Disparity in pay scale also brought up
SHILLONG: The Meghalaya SSA Schools Association Central Body (MSSASA) has opposed the Education department of the State Government’s decision to include the SSA teachers to sit for Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) exams.
In a statement to the media, Aristotle C. Rymbai, working president said an urgent meeting was convened on March 17 after the members of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of MSSASA from all Districts of Meghalaya including Garo Hills converged at the Assembly sessions following RC Laloo’s statement that it is mandatory for SSA teachers to sit for TET examinations and to possess qualifications as per the guidelines of National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).
It may be mentioned that he was replying to a call attention motion of Witting Mawsor who sought clarifications on the long pending demands of teachers.
The association questioned that SSA teachers have been appointed since 2004 as per qualified norms of the State Government.
The association came down heavily on the Government’s statement that SSA teachers were appointed on contract basis by the managing committee and not by the State Government.
To this statement, the association contended that the managing committee does not act on its own accord but will have to seek the approval from Government departments of the District Mission Co-ordinator (DMC), Joint DMC or Block Mission Co-Ordinator (BMC) of the SSA State Education Mission Authority Meghalaya (SSA-SEMAM) of the State Government.
The association pointed out in other states of the country SSA teachers is appointed by the State Government and they expressed surprised as in the state the managing committee of the respective schools appoint the teachers which is contrary to the direction of the Ministry of Human Resources Development (HRD).
Another argument put forth by the association was disparity in pay scale of the SSA teachers in comparison with the deficit school teachers who are also appointed by the school managing committee.