Govt asks school authorities to act against agitating teachers

SHILLONG, June 30: Toughening its stand against the ad hoc teachers who have launched an indefinite protest outside the Secretariat, the state government on Thursday asked the authorities of various ad hoc schools in the state to seek clarification from teachers who fail to attend to their normal duties.
“We will soon issue a circular to all the school managing committees and authorities to take action against teachers who fail to attend to their duties. It is important for them to step in and seek explanation from the teachers who remain absent from their duties,” Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong told reporters while reacting to the ongoing agitation of the ad hoc teachers under the banner of Federation of All School Teachers Of Meghalaya which entered its third day on Thursday.
Tynsong pointed out that the ad hoc teachers were employees of the school managing committees since the appointments were made by the latter.
He made it clear that the school managing committees and authorities have to step in and address the grievances of the ad hoc teachers. “Let them also contribute since the state government is only extending a lump sum ad hoc grant to these schools,” the deputy CM said, while threatening to withdraw the grant to those school managing committees which fail to cooperate with the government.
Tynsong urged the ad hoc teachers to return home and attend to their duties since the state government had already made a commitment and Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui had personally explained to them the status of their demands.
He reiterated that the teachers’ demands would be taken up in the next Cabinet meeting.
“The proposal has to go back to the Planning and Finance departments. I am confident we will be able to take a final call in the next cabinet meeting,” he added.
The teachers, however, are unperturbed. FASTOM spokesperson Mayborn Lyngdoh said they were firm on their decision to continue with the indefinite protest outside the Secretariat till the government issues an official order enhancing their salaries.
“We are not going to move from here until our long-pending demands are fulfilled,” Lyngdoh said.
Extending solidarity with FASTOM, the Federation of All Meghalaya Adhoc Secondary Teachers expressed disappointment over the state government’s lack of concern for the ad hoc teachers.
“The previous governments have done something when it comes to the salary of the teachers. But the MDA is the only government which has done nothing when it comes to addressing their salary grievances,” it said in a statement on Thursday.
The association also stated in a meeting held on Thursday, it has decided to wait till the end of July 2022 in the hope of a positive response from the government and if there is no response they will announce their next course of action.
Meanwhile, members of the Meghalaya and Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers and Street Vendors Association and the Northeast Regional Domestic Workers Movement Meghalaya chapter visited the striking teachers to express solidarity with them. The associations emphasised the need for the working classes to unite to fight for their rights.
The Meghalaya College Teachers’ Association (MCTA), which met the ad hoc teachers on Thursday, issued a statement extending support to FASTOM.
“The MCTA recognises their struggle for the enhancement of pay as utterly necessary. The Association pleads and implores the government to settle the matter in favour of the teachers as early as possible. If there is ever a time for the government to show its seriousness of making education a priority sector, it is now,” the statement said.