By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 20: The Meghalaya SSA Schools’ Association on Monday announced the launch of its non-cooperation movement from Tuesday, saying that lack of response either from the government or officials of the Education department on their ultimatum, has left them with no alternative other than boycotting all government-related programmes.
“Our non-cooperation movement will end only after the state government pays our pending dues,” Meghalaya SSA Schools’ Association president, Aristotle C Rymbai said in a statement on Monday.
According to him, the SSA teachers will boycott official activities, such as Swachh Bharat, Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, awareness programmes, tree plantation and others, in schools during the non-cooperation movement.
“Apart from teaching activities, SSA teachers will not also attend any other activities of the government like election or COVID-19 duties or any other activity not linked to education,” he said.
Rymbai decried the state government’s failure to release Rs 104 crore besides the 10% state share for payment of salaries of the SSA teachers.
“The state government has to release an additional amount as per the capping norms of Samagra Shiksha for payment of SSA teachers’ salaries, pending for the last three years. If this amount of Rs 104 crore is released, it would be sufficient to pay at least three months of our pending salaries,” he said.
According to him, the SSA teachers have been without pay for almost five months and they do not find any immediate solution.
“Everybody knows that nobody ventures into the teaching profession to get rich, but teachers don’t expect to suffer and be penalized for their chosen profession. It is not only an issue of 12,541 SSA teachers but also a question about the survival of thousands of people comprising our family members who are suffering for no fault of theirs,” he said.
Rymbai lamented that the Education department releases the salary of only one or two months and that too, after a gap of every four to five months.
“This salary goes to debtors like banks, leaving us without a penny. SSA teachers are on the verge of starvation and no one is paying heed to our grievances,” he said. “Facing uncertainty and left with no money, the SSA teachers have been deprived of sleep and peace of mind, especially at this point of time when we have to pay for our kids’ admission fees, school fees and buy clothes and other necessities during this festive season (Christmas),” Rymbai said.
He said about 95% of the SSA teachers have no other source of income other than salary.
“No one believes that we (SSA teachers) are living a miserable life in the absence of our salaries. The truth is that our financial position is extremely bad and it is a challenge to manage and maintain our daily requirements and livelihood of families,” he added.