SHILLONG, July 15: The Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan school teachers in Meghalaya are not satisfied with the state government’s assurance that their salaries, pending for five months, will be partially released within two weeks.
The members of the All Meghalaya SSA Teachers’ Association (AMSSATA) and Meghalaya SSA Schools’ Association (MSSASA) on Friday met with Education Secretary Ryntihlang Rapthap and Deputy State Project Director Andrew Warjri to discuss their pending salaries and other demands.
The AMSSATA decided to continue with their indefinite sit-in that started on Friday at the parking lot near the Additional Secretariat. The MSSASA decided to start their indefinite sit-in at the same venue from July 18.
AMSSATA member Las Marngar told reporters that they are not happy with the two weeks the government had sought.
“The government will be able to release only two months’ salaries if it receives the funds from the Centre. We want a written assurance that the salaries for five months will be released at once,” he said.
Marngar said it was really unfortunate that the SSA teachers had to hit the streets to demand their pending salaries.
MSSASA chairman Aristotle Rymbai said the teachers are yet to be paid their salaries for February and March of 2021-2022 and for April to June of the current fiscal.
“The government will release the salaries of 2022-2023. But the funds for the salaries pending for two months in 2021-2022 are pending with the Finance department,” he said.
He said the other demands of the MSSASA include the enhancement of the salaries of the SSA teachers, higher budget provision for the SSA schools in the state and the shifting of the existing SSA teachers from the State Implementation Society to the Education department on a regular basis.
“The government has chosen to remain silent on our other demands,” Rymbai said.
The two associations are, however, not keen on coming together to pressure the state government on the same demands.
“We are two different associations. We would prefer to pursue our demands separately,” he said.
It may be added that the members of the All Garo Hills SSA School Teachers’ Association took part in the indefinite sit-in of the AMSSATA on Friday.
