Govt exploring all options to address teachers’ demands: Rakkam

SHILLONG, July 21: The state government is exploring all options to address the growing demands of the teaching fraternity in Meghalaya despite facing the odds of a huge financial burden on the exchequer.
“It is not easy but whatever the state government is able to do to help them out we are doing. Just last year we had helped the ad hoc teachers by giving them a salary hike. Except the government teachers, all other categories of teachers are getting equal pay, be it deficit or ad hoc,” Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma said on Sunday.
He said this while talking about the financial implication on the department and the government in addressing the various demands of the teachers like salary hike, regularisation of service, timely disbursement of pay, etc.
“As of now the financial burden is huge but we are looking at all options and finding out ways and means to address their grievances,” he added.
Teachers hitting the streets to demand salary hike, regularisation and timely disbursement of pay were once a common sight in the state. However, such protests have almost come to a halt, barring a few occasions.
Asked how the state government is handling the issue as of now, Sangma said a lot of consultations and discussions were held and a lot of planning was done to avoid such things from recurring.
“The government is exploring options like re-drafting the service rules. The amendment rules and recruitment issue are coming together. We are planning to readjust the categories of teachers,” he said, without providing additional details.