SHILLONG: The government is considering relaxation of fixed remuneration for untrained teachers, said the reply to an RTI application filed by SSA teacher Aristotle C. Rymbai.
Rymbai, who is also the president of the Meghalaya Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Schools Association (MSSASA), said the State Government, through the office of the State Project Director of the SSA State Education Mission Authority Meghalaya (SSA-SEMAM), had taken into consideration the MSSASA demand for relaxation of the fixed remuneration for untrained primary teachers and upper primary teachers working under the SSA scheme.
These teachers had not met the criteria as per the National Council of Teachers Education (NCTE) norms and the RTE Act 2009 for the financial year 2017-18.
Rymbai had filed the application to SSA-SEMAM relating to the demand made by MSSASA in December last year.
This demand came after D.P Wahlang, Commissioner and Secretary in the Education Department and State Mission Director of SEMAM, issued notification on October 31 last year to enhance the salary of SSA teachers with effect from April 2016. The hike will be based on two categories, untrained and trained teachers.
Untrained and trained teachers at the lower primary level will get Rs 13,335 and Rs 19,044 per month, respectively. At the upper primary level, untrained and trained teachers will get Rs 14,392 and Rs 20,493, respectively.
There are 5,766 lower primary and 6,715 upper primary teachers in the State.
Further, MSSASA demanded relaxation and re-proposal of the revised pay for un-qualified SSA teachers as the nature of work and duties performed by each SSA teacher is the same and they had already served for more than 10 years.
The reply to the RTI application said though MSSASA’s proposal was approved on February 14, the government is waiting for central funds. However, the untrained teachers should acquire the D.El.Ed qualification within two years from the date of the notification and failing which the lesser payment as approved for unqualified or untrained teachers will be applicable.
On the pending revised pay and arrears, Rymbai said, “The Deputy Director of School Education and Literacy clearly mentioned in the report that currently the State is having a balance of Rs 21.84 crore and the second installment from the Centre is still awaited for clearing the pending dues for the financial year 2016 -17. Currently, all SSA teachers are being paid the old salary.
