SHILLONG: The State Government has finally yielded to the demand of teachers in government schools and decided to hike salaries by 100 per cent across categories.
The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the demand for increase in salary of lower and upper primary teachers under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Hindi teachers.
“We have approved the proposal of the Directorate of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) for enhancement of the grant-in-aid to school managing committees to increase salaries of teachers in different categories by 100 per cent,” Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said after the Cabinet meeting.
Sangma said the Government took the decision despite its financial constraint. Earlier the Government had hiked salary on two occasions within a short span of time, he added.
The Joint Action Committee of All Teachers’ Association of Meghalaya (JACATAM) welcomed the decision saying finally the Government accepted its demand for hike in salary of ad hoc teachers.
The teachers had gone on strike and took out rallies in demand for salary enhancement. They had also planned an indefinite strike but later withdrew following guardians’ pleas.
There are 7,347 teachers, comprising 2,450 lower primary, 2,532 upper primary and 1,521 4th teachers in SSA schools and 844 Hindi teachers.
The revised salary of the teachers will add an extra burden of Rs 63.34 crore on the State Government.
On the delay in approving the demand, Sangma said initially there was no clarity on whether the teachers were demanding for provincialisation or salary enhancement. “The Government has made it clear that it has no intention to provincialise schools but it can increase the grant-in-aid for the managing committees of schools,” he added.
The salary hike will be made effective from January 1.
Teachers’ meet
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and 4th teachers of East Khasi Hills and Ri Bhoi districts will meet on Saturday.
The meeting will discuss the reply of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan State Education Mission Authority of Meghalaya (SSA-SEMAM) to the demands of the Meghalaya SSA Schools Association (MSSASA).
The teachers’ body has been demanding revised pay and arrears pending since 2016.
The revised result of the diploma course, training for SSA and 4th teachers and salary hike for 4th teachers will also be discussed in the meeting at Khasi National Dorbar Hall in Mawkhar.