TURA: The 4th teachers from Garo Hills region under the banner of the All Meghalaya 4th Teachers’ Association, Garo Hills Unit have demanded of the government that they are paid equally like their counterparts under Assistant Teacher category.
The teachers say that despite both performing the similar work, bearing similar expertise and qualifications, there has been a partiality with regard to the payment of salaries.
A memorandum in this regard was submitted to the Director of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) in Shillong, Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and Congress leader Mukul Sangma. The association lamented that while assistant teachers in the state enjoy a sizable amount of salary, the 4th teachers continue to get a meagre Rs 12,000 per month. “Earlier, assistant teachers used to be paid Rs 9,900 only. But after the demand for salary enhancement was made by them, they have been enjoying a salary amount of Rs 20,493 since 2017. Why can’t the same be done for us? We have been receiving the same amount of Rs 12,000 for so long without any kind of enhancements,” the teachers rued.
Pointing out that memorandums in this regard have already been submitted in the past to different officials and ministers, the teachers urged the government to give an ear to their demands and take necessary steps to hike their salaries. In addition to the hike in their salaries, the teachers also requested the government to ensure the regularisation of their services given that many of them have been in service for many years.