NEW DELHI, Aug 9: Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee president Vincent H Pala on Tuesday came down heavily on the ruling MDA government headed by the NPP for inducting teachers in politics in violation of the Meghalaya Education Policy notified in 2018.
Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui had, earlier, made it clear that teachers are not allowed to take part in politics.
Pala pointed out that the Education minister had sternly warned that serving teachers in schools and colleges aided by the government cannot be associated with any political party or to take part in politics.
“But it is an absurdity that Chief Minister Conrad Sangma publicly welcomed a serving associate professor, drawing the UGC scale of pay and employed in a government aided institute,” the MP said. Though Pala did not mention any name, he was clearly hinting at Prof Malcolm Tariang who joined NPP last week during a public programme attended by the CM.
“This shows that in this MDA dispensation, the views of the CM differ from the views of his Education minister,” Pala said, while adding: “While one (Rymbui) is discreetly threatening the teaching fraternity from active participation in politics, the other (CM) is welcoming them with open arms.”
The Meghalaya State Education Policy approved by the Cabinet on September 21, 2018, pertaining to higher and technical education, states that government and government-aided school, college or university teachers will be barred from taking part in political activities and political associations.
