SHILLONG: After witnessing controversies relating to Meghalaya Teacher Eligibility Test (MTET), the Education department has now decided to discontinue the extension of 59 days temporary appointment of assistant teachers in lower primary schools of various districts.
This comes in the wake of advertisement for the post of teachers being issued in various districts to make way for permanent teaching posts with MTET being one of the criteria for application.
The Directorate of School Education and Literacy (DSEL), A Ch Marak, in a circular, has asked all the Sub Divisional School Education Officers (SDSEOs) of all districts to discontinue the 59 days temporary appointment until further order.
Temporary teachers felt that some consideration needs to be given for the years they have spent in service. It may be mentioned that around 90 per cent of the teachers failed MTET in 2019.
The MTET criteria for teaching posts in the state came under scrutiny after question papers were leaked through social media. An FIR was filed in Tura Police Station. The temporary teachers had filed a writ petition in the High Court seeking justice and to quash the MTET.