SHILLONG: As JACATAM is calling for agitation to press for its demand of provincialising the services of teachers, leaders of the Federation of All Meghalaya Ad hoc Secondary Teachers’ Association (FAMASTA) on Thursday slammed JACATAM for dragging the secondary teachers into their agitation.
Speaking to media persons here, FAMASTA president Bina Kharumnuid alleged that JACATAM never consulted FAMASTA before the ongoing agitation and they forcefully dragged secondary teachers to join the agitation.
She said that FAMASTA in a recent executive meeting had unanimously decided to skip the ongoing agitations called by JACATAM.
The FAMASTA while making it clear that no secondary teacher under it will be allowed to join the JACATAM agitation, further asserted that it stood united with over 2352 secondary teachers from over 434 schools as members.
She also issued a strong warning to secondary teachers asking them not to represent JACATAM failing which they will be dealt with strongly according to clause 7 of the FAMASTA constitution.
Meanwhile FAMASTA vice president H.M. Jana said FAMASTA has been fighting its own battle since 2014 and has been out of touch with JACATAM on grounds that JACATAM has totally neglected ad hoc secondary teachers for many years.
She also asserted that FAMASTA does not have any trust on JACATAM since they have never addressed the issues concerning ad hoc secondary teachers.
Meanwhile, Anju Kharthangmaw and Wadbor Sohiong, secondary teachers of Pomlakrai Presbyterian Secondary School and Wanbor Kharkongor of Green Hill HSS, Sohryngkham, have stated that they represented JACATAM as individual secondary teachers and clarified that they are not executive members of the FAMASTA.
“We supported JACATAM because this committee was formed to address all the issue of the ad hoc teachers in the State,” they said.
Incidentally, JACATAM general secretary Kenneth Shadap asserted that JACATAM would take full responsibility if anything happens to the ad hoc secondary teachers who have joined their agitation.
Meanwhile, the sit-in dharna being staged by teachers in the State under the banner of JACATAM, demanding the provincialization of their services crossed the second day on Thursday.
In Tura, teachers belonging to the ad hoc LP schools, UP schools, secondary and higher secondary schools under the Meghalaya Upper Primary School Teachers’ Association (MUPSTA) continued their silent stir at the Tura Chandmary Playground.
“We have learnt that preparations have already been done by the government to provincialise the teachers and the same has been sent to the Cabinet for approval. If that is the case, what is preventing the government from implementing it?” they questioned.
Informing that JACATAM was planning to launch a series of agitation against the government, the teachers demanded that it do away with the practice of creating different categories of school teachers due to which, they were being paid less.
“In Meghalaya, there are only 14,473 non-government teachers against other states’ which are far greater. If they can be provincialized, then why not in Meghalaya?” they demanded.
In another development, the Meghalaya SSA Schools’ Association (MSSASA) has asked the SSA teachers in the State not to participate in the JACATAM agitation.
H. Myrthong, adviser, and Aristotle C. Rymbai, president of MSSASA, on Thursday informed that Meghalaya SSA Schools Association is not a member of JACATAM.
“The MSSASA did not join with JACATAM to demand from the State government to regularize the services of the 12,481 SSA teachers in the State,” said Rymbai.
