Teachers join hands across State to protest against govt apathy

SHILLONG: Members of the Joint Action Committee of All Teachers’ Association of Meghalaya (JACATAM) on Wednesday staged dharna in various parts of the city and the State to protest against the alleged indifferent attitude of the State government over its demand for provincialization of services of over 14,000 teachers of 4500 ad hoc, deficit and government aided schools in the State.
Braving inclement weather, teachers with placards and banners in different parts of the city protested against the delay in provincialization of their services.
The teachers would continue their dharna at the zonal level and unit level on Thursday followed by a district-level demonstration on Friday.
JACATAM organizing Secretary Kular Khongjirem said teachers from different categories of services actively participated in the dharna throughout the State.
“The State government continues to be adamant and it seems that the government is not concerned about the school children,” he said.
He further said that the teaching community would intensify its second phase of agitation to be announced on July 29.
Continuing their protest against the inaction of the State government towards their demands, the Khasi Jaintia Deficit School Teachers’ Association (KJDSTA) from Ri-Bhoi under the umbrella of JACATAM staged dharna at three separate locations pressuring the government to concede to their demands.
While the teachers of Nongpoh Zone staged dharna at NSCA Mini Stadium, teachers from Umsning Zone staged dharna at Umsning Playground while the teachers  from Umroi Zone staged their agitation at Kurkalang Playground, Bhoirymbong.
Speaking to pressmen at Nongpoh, Baby Jospeh, a member of JACATAM, said it was very unfortunate that the teachers had to leave the students at school, but were forced to resort to such activities due to the adamant attitude of the government.
Joseph further said it was an embarrassment that teachers in the State were deprived of their rights in spite of being the builders of the nation.
In Jaintia Hills, school teachers under the banner of JACATAM took active part in the agitation by staging a sit-in demonstration at MTC Stand, Iawmusiang Jowai. Around one hundred teachers in Jowai were seen taking part in the agitation programme organized by the JACATAM across the State.
A similar agitation was also organised by JACATAM at Resubelpara.
A rally was taken out from the Office of the District School Education Officer (DSEO) and the Sub Divisional School Education Officer (SDSEO) at 10 AM with more than 200 teachers representing different categories of schools like Ad hoc LP School, Ad hoc UP School, Deficit UP School, Deficit LP School, SSA UP School and SSA LP School participated in the rally.