TURA, July 14: 4th teachers from Garo Hills under the umbrella of the All Meghalaya 4th Teachers’ Association, Garo Hills Unit have submitted a reminder of their earlier memorandum to Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui urging him to look into their demand for salary hike as well to regularize their service given their experience.
In their memorandum submitted to Rymbui through the West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner, the teachers said that repeated memorandums submitted to the minister concerned as well as other authorities with the demand for salary enhancement and regularization on the strength of their experience have so far fallen on deaf ears. The teachers, who are currently paid only Rs 12,000 per month are demanding equal pay as that of their counterparts in the Assistant Teacher category who are earning Rs 20,493 per month.
“Our qualifications and workloads are the same. Therefore, paying us less is a discrimination as it violates article 14 which deals in Right to Equality,” the teachers said.
The teachers claimed that during their earlier meeting with Rymbui in his office chamber in Shillong, the Minister had assured that the matter would be looked into. They added that despite Rymbui announcing in the House during an Assembly Session that their demand was being looked into, nothing has materialized till date.
The fresh reminder submitted on Wednesday urged the education Minister to urgently take it up in the Cabinet adding, enhancement should be done as per the numerous proposals submitted by the Director of School Education and Litereracy (DSEL) for all 4th teachers in the entire state of Meghalaya.