SHILLONG, April 22: Thousands of ad hoc teachers lined up on footpaths outside the main Secretariat, All Saints’ School and the MBoSE office here on Friday in continuance of their protest against non-fulfillment of their demands by the state government.
The teachers, protesting under the banner of the Federation of All School Teachers of Meghalaya (FASTOM), have been demanding for long for their upgradation to deficit category.
FASTOM spokesperson, Mayborn Lyngdoh said the teachers had a meeting on Friday with the state government but they were not happy with its outcome.
“We are going to continue with our non-cooperation movement. We will not take part in any activities related to the government and education,” Lyngdoh told reporters after the meeting with officials of the state government.
“The government has failed us again and is not taking us seriously. The Education Minister or the Chief Minister is nowhere to be found,” the FASTOM spokesperson said.
He said the teachers would be happy to meet the chief minister who is going places and singing.
Stating that the assurance given by the government is half-hearted, Lyngdoh said, “We can see that they are trying to buy time but we cannot wait any longer. We cannot wait for another government and another education minister to come.”
Lyngdoh said the government will need only Rs 250 crore or so to upgrade the teachers from ad hoc category to deficit category.
“After the memorandum is sent to the government, maybe Lahkmen Rymbui and Conrad Sangma will have a look at it and consider upgrading us because the number being given by them is quite exaggerated but the number we are giving them is very less – Rs 250 crore is nothing in comparison to Rs 700 crore that has been stated in the media before by the minister,” Lyngdoh added.
Meanwhile, Secretary of Education Department, Ambrose Marak said, “The department is continuously following up the demands. As per the proposed amount, it has been already prepared including the financial implications and we have submitted the proposal to the department. This being under active consideration will be soon submitted to planning and finance and we are committed to expediting the proposal.”
