SHILLONG: The Joint Action Committee of All Teachers’ Association of Meghalaya (JACATAM) will organize a rally on August 5 at 11 AM which will witness teachers from all over the State taking part.
The decision was taken on the last day of the three-day agitation and was intimated to the gathering consisting of different categories of teachers who were demanding provincialization of the services of the teachers.
Later speaking to reporters, JACATAM secretary Kenneth Shadap said, “We are awaiting the Cabinet’s approval for the proposal to provincialise the services of the teachers and for the State government to issue a notification. There is a clear proposal as per the memo dated February 23, 2016 for the provincialization of teachers’ services.”
“The State government has been silent though we have written to it a number of times in the year 2013, 2014 and 2015 and Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has even replied to us on June 23, 2016 stating that the Principal Secretary, Political department, may direct the Education department to coordinate with the association (JACATAM) and update pending issues for final resolution,” Shadap added.
He informed that the association wants the government to hold talks with the teachers’ body and issue official proceedings; however, since the commencement of the agitations there was no official communication with the agitating association.
Stressing for unity among the teaching fraternity as a faction of the Federation of All Meghalaya Ad-hoc Secondary Teachers’ Association (FAMASTA) has withdrawn its support to JACATAM, Shadap said, “We have made an agreement that all categories of teachers will cooperate and unite.”
Incidentally, a section of the FAMASTA teachers also came out and supported the agitation.
Meanwhile, Esther Kharbamon, secretary of the Action Committee of JACATAM expressed surprise as to the withdrawal of support by FAMASTA.
“The JACATAM has not done anything wrong and it is fighting for the welfare of the secondary ad hoc schools,” she added.
