SHILLONG: The Khasi Jaintia Deficit School Teachers Association (KJDSTA) along with Garo Hills Deficit School Teachers and employees Association (GHDSTEA) met the director of school education and literacy (DSEL), Ambrose Ch Marak to apprise him of the issues face by the teachers.
In a statement issued here, president of KJDSTA, Babu Kular Khongjirem urged the director to release the first arrears of the revised pay before Christmas.
On the demand for the arrears the director assured the delegation that he would try at his level to release the arrear.
However, the director said that he would instruct all the District School Education officers (DSEO) who have not submitted the proposals for arrears to submit it on or before December 15 so that arrears could be sanctioned and disbursed before Christmas festival.
In the meeting, the delegation also raised the implementation of benefits to deficit school teachers as recommended by the Fifth Pay Commission.
In its recommendation, it includes raising the death-cum-retirement gratuity from the existing Rs 3.5 lakh to Rs.10 lakh.
The association said the modified Assured Carrier Progressive scheme were to be applicable to the teacher as they have no promotion in their long services, all leaves including maternity and paternity leaves as enjoyed by the government employees should be granted to the teachers, higher pay for higher qualifications should also be applicable to the deficit School teachers beside others.
The delegation also urged the director to release the salary of the deficit school teachers regularly as it caused lot of inconvenience to the teachers. The old system of releasing it quarterly, that is once in three months is not relevant to the teachers.
The deficit teachers also raised the non-release of the old pending arrears, that is dearness allowances (DA) for deficit teachers at the Upper Primary and Lower Primary level as well. While these teachers enjoyed the revised pay scale at present but the old pending DA are yet to be released by the directorate. The director assured the delegation that he will take up this matter as early as possible.
The other point that was discussed in the meeting was on the delay of sanctioning of financial aid to teachers who are on medical treatments as announced by the state government during the Teachers’ Day Celebration.
This fund is collected from each and every student from each School as a children’s fund for the welfare of the teachers and the amount collected always handed over to the respective DSEO office before Teachers’ Day celebration every year.
Khongjirem said Marak gave a patient hearing to the delegation that air their grievances and assured the teachers that he would sanction and release immediately and within one month time the sanctioned amount would be released to them.