TURA: Teachers from Garo Hills under the banner of the All Garo Hills SSA School Teachers’ Association (AGHSSATA) have threatened to boycott regular classes as well as the annual examination to be held in March this year in protest against the failure of the government to clear their pending dues.
The teachers are yet to be paid their pending arrears for 8 months of 2016-17, Project Approval Board (PAB) for the months from August 2016 to March 2017 and one month’s salary for December last year. It may be recalled that the teachers had submitted repeated memorandums from time to time last year making the same demand.
“We are tired of submitting the same memorandums and reminders. We have given the government enough time to fulfil our demands and are now forced to resort to our agitation,” President of the association Labingstone G Momin said.
However, the teachers have given time for the government to act on their demand within this month after which it would go ahead with the proposed agitation.
Meanwhile, another body of teachers- the Garo Hills Government LP School MTET Passed Contractual Teachers’ Association (GHGLPS MTET Passed CTA) has urged the government to immediately declare the results of the interview for appointment to the posts of Assistant teachers which was held recently.
In their memorandum submitted to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, the teachers pointed out that the whole recruitment process including written examination and personal interview which began on December 7 was completed on December 17. The teachers claimed that as per the guidelines issued by the Director of School education and Literacy (DSEL), the results were to be declared within 24 hours from the date of interview and published in the office notice board.
“Schools in Garo Hills have already reopened from January 11 but the results are still to be declared. Now we, who have passed the MTET are uncertain of our future. We are yet to know whether we shall continue as teachers or become jobless,” the teachers said and appealed to the government to declare the results immediately.