AITC in solidarity with SSA teachers, asks govt to listen

TURA, July 20: Youth leaders of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) led by Richard Marak, on Wednesdy, met the protesting Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) teachers in Tura, West Garo Hills district to express their solidarity with the community.
Moreover, the AITC also demanded of the Meghalaya government to heed the demands of the teachers and give in to their demands so that the education sector does not suffer and neither do the protesting teachers.
SSA teachers under the banner of the All Meghalaya SSA School Teachers Association (AMSSASTA) have been protesting in the state capital as well as in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Tura demanding the release of six months’ salaries.
The protest which has already completed three days is likely to intensify in the coming days with the teachers expressing displeasure over the assurances made by the state government.
“We are here to show our solidarity with our protesting teachers. We have seen what is happening in Shillong. The government needs to listen to their demands and needs to be responsible for the welfare of the teachers. We demand that this is done at the earliest,” AITC youth leader Richard said during the visit.
SSA teachers in the state have been at the receiving end of the government’s apathy with protests of a similar sort coming up at least 3-4 times a year over their pending salaries, sometimes accumulating up to six months or more.
The continued apathy towards their cause has led to teachers even stopping teaching in their schools to pressure the government to make their salaries regular.