SHILLONG, Nov 24: As Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) teachers continue to vent dissent over the non-payment of their pending salaries, Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, on Wednesday, reiterated that the department will work within the boundaries of rules and
regulations while addressing the grievances of the teachers, and went on to remind that the SSA teachers were not directly recruited by the state government.
The SSA teachers have been demanding the release of their arrears besides regularisation of their services.
“The government will have to see how to resolve this as it is not a simple decision. These decisions would have a long-time impact,” he said. He even admitted that it would be difficult to resolve the issue in future as well.
He, however, said that the department is ready to disburse the salaries of the SSA teachers pertaining to a few months as the Meghalaya government has received some funds from the Centre.
Asked about the accusation that the government is organising lavish festivals instead of paying remuneration to teachers, Rymbui elaborated that these activities are part of the system and the government cannot avoid other developmental works due to non-payment of the teachers’ salaries. Festivals also bring livelihood to the people, he added.
He said that the state government’s door is always open for dialogue on the issues of the SSA teachers, while adding that the teachers already know what the constraint is.
However, the Meghalaya SSA Teachers’ Association had maintained that as per the framework and guidelines of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, recruitment and service matter of SSA teachers will be under the domain of state government and central government would only provide financial support as per the scheme. Stating that SSA teachers are the responsibility of the state, they said that salary structure would be determined as per state norms citing the terms and conditions of the SSA.
Apart from protesting against the delay in releasing the pending salaries, the association has been demanding regularisation of all SSA teachers and implementation of the pay scales as per the prescribed norms of Right to Education.
Mass teachers’ meeting
Meanwhile in Garo Hills, Meghalaya Upper Primary School Teachers’ Association-Garo Hills Region has called a mass teacher meeting at Asanang in West Garo Hills, on December 3, to take future course of action with regard to the fate of upper primary ad hoc school teachers.
Expressing unhappiness, the association has alleged insensitivity towards the ad hoc teachers. “It is clear that there will be no space for improvement or any other implementation for ad hoc teachers. The present ruling dispensation is found to be disinterested in the progress of ad hoc upper primary school teachers of the state,” it added.