By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 7: In view of festivities knocking on their doors, the Meghalaya Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) teachers, on Tuesday, submitted a letter to the state government through the Secretary of the Education department to remind them about the pending salaries pertaining to the remaining three months, even as they have threatened to agitate in order to make their appeals heard.
According to the president of Meghalaya SSA Schools Association, Aristotle C Rymbai, they decided to give a reminder to the authorities since the matter has been pending for some time and in the wake of the upcoming Christmas celebrations. “We are writing once again to request the state government to take appropriate actions to release the remaining three months’ salary for the month of August, September and October, 2021, on or before December 20, failing which the state government would compel us (SSA teachers) to go for a ‘Non-Cooperation Movement’ in any activities being asked to performed by the government in school and also other duties engaged and assigned to SSA teachers, which are not linked to education from December21 till the state government pays the remaining salary,” stated Rymbai.
It may be mentioned that earlier on November 16, a delegation of the association had met the Secretary of Education department, Ambrose Ch. Marak, and discussed the release of the remaining three months’ salary before Christmas.
The association has also said that they will launch a letter campaign addressing them to the chief minister and education minister starting December 22 till January 14 to air their grievances followed by a democratic peaceful protest — Black Flag Sit-in Demonstration — and candlelight vigil on January 21.
Meanwhile, Education Minister, Lahkmen Rymbui, on Tuesday, said that the Project Director of State Education Mission Authority of Meghalaya (SEMAM) has already released the funds to District Mission Coordinators for necessary disbursement of salary pertaining to two months. “The state government has done its job. But I don’t have the status if the teachers has received their two months pending salaries,” Rymbui said.