Teachers’ body wants maternity leave

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya SSA School Association (MSSASA), central body has petitioned the Director of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) and the State Project Director SSA-SEMAM for granting maternity leave to SSA teachers.
In a letter to Ambrose Ch Marak, the MSSASA has demanded that maternity leave should be given to SSA teachers under Maternity Benefit Act, 1961- Right to payment of Maternity Benefit and Maternity Benefit (Amendment), Act, 2017.
The organisation stated that the SSA teachers cannot avail the benefit of maternity leave as enjoyed by other category of teachers in the State.
The organisation has requested Marak to initiate the matter in a time bound manner taking not more than two months. They also pointed out that any discrimination violates Articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution. “The claim of maternity leave is based on the grounds of fair play and social justice.
The letter mentioned Article 42 which is the Provision for just and humane conditions of work and maternity relief and Article 41 that says, “The State shall, within the limits of its economic capacity and development, make effective provision for securing the right to work, to education and to public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement, and in other cases of undeserved want.”