SHILLONG/ TURA, March 2: The SSA teachers suspended their stir after Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui assured to clear their two months’ salary.
Hundreds of SSA teachers had hit the streets on Wednesday, slamming the National People’s Party-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government for not clearing their dues.
The SSA teachers had taken out a rally from Polo. The number of protestors, chanting slogans against the NPP and other coalition partners, swelled as the rally snaked toward the Malki ground.
The situation became tense a bit near the All India Radio as the protestors were not allowed to march past the state secretariat. A few leaders were allowed to go ahead and meet Rymbui.
Soon after the meeting, Meghalaya SSA School Association (MSSASA) president Aristotle Rymbai said the state government agreed to release their salary for October and November 2021, as the Finance department has agreed in principle to provide the fund to the Education department for it.
“The minister assured us that the salary for December 2021, January and February will be released once the second instalment is received from the Centre,” he said.
He added that the teachers decided to suspend their stir for the time being after the assurance from the minister.
Rymbui said, “We explained what we have done and what we are trying to do in the coming months. I have assured that the government will try to release at least two months’ salary at the earliest.” He said the salary for three more months will be released as soon as the Centre releases the second instalment. “Efforts are on to ensure the Centre provides the second instalment,” he added.
The average fund required for the salary of SSA teachers per month is Rs 29 crore.
Earlier in the day, members of the All Garo Hills SSA School Teachers’ Association (AGHSSASTA) held a protest rally Tura seeking the immediate release of their pending salaries for five months besides the resolution of their grievances.
The AGHSSASTA members also sent a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking an intervention in the problems being faced by them.
In the memo, the teachers highlighted the immense financial strain that has been put on them due to the non-payment of salaries for five months. They lamented how the irregular payment of salary has affected the education of their children.
“Despite funds being sanctioned by the Centre, we have had to celebrate festivals in the darkness as our dues are not paid. Sometimes we are paid once in three months and sometimes twice in six months. This is despite the numerous petitions we have been submitting for the regularisation of our salaries,” the teachers wrote.
They also said the government has not paid them eight months of arrears since the PAB of 2016-2017.
Rymbui seeks to correct SSA wrong
Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui feels the problems of the SSA teachers can be resolved through a coordinated effort of the policymakers and the stakeholders.
“A convergence of mind is needed to overcome this tricky issue,” he said.
Meghalaya SSA School Association president Aristotle Rymbai had earlier attributed their problems to a mistake committed while implementing the programme in 2000-2001.
“We are facing the problems now for the mistake then,” he said.
The norms say the SSA teachers should be recruited on a regular basis and not contractually in government schools but the SSA scheme in Meghalaya has been given to private and missionary-run schools, he pointed out.
Rymbai said the error was pointed out to the minister but he preferred to find a solution rather than blame anyone.
“The Centre has issued a notification to end the scheme by March 31, 2026. It is high time the state government did the needful and not wait for 2026,” he said.
Insisting the SSA teachers do not want to challenge the government, Rymbai said: “We do not want the same thing to be repeated in the future and asked the government to frame a policy like the one for the quarterly release of the salaries ad hoc and deficit teachers,” he said.
“The minister agreed to take this suggest for further discussion with the chief minister and officers in his department,” Rymbai said.
