By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 22: The All Meghalaya Upper Primary and Secondary Deficit Pattern Teachers’ Association has petitioned Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma, seeking better allowances.
It may be mentioned that there are 13 deficit pattern categories of schools in the state — nine secondary and four upper primary.
During the meeting, the deficit teachers raised their long-pending grievances as well as demands of hill allowance, medical allowance, house rent, advance increment for higher educational qualification and gratuity.
“Deficit pattern schools receive only Basic+DA. Other allowances have not been granted to us since inception. These 13 schools were brought into the deficit pattern system in 1993 and have only 127 employees who are rendering their service under sanctioned posts,” the Association said.
Flagging non-availability of post-retirement benefits, the deficit teachers pressed for fulfilment of their demands.
“There is no gratuity as well as National Pension Scheme so far and Deficit Pattern employees also need justice and equal pay for equal work in the days to come,” the Association said, demanding of the government to either upgrade their services to full-fledged deficit pattern or provide the aforesaid allowances.