SHILLONG, Oct 15: The state government on Tuesday said it is practically not possible for it to meet the demands of the agitating SSA teachers in one go.
They are staging an indefinite sit-in demonstration demanding a 100% hike in pay and the shifting of the services of 13,000 SSA teachers from the State Implementation Society to the Education department to secure their jobs.
Education Minister Rakkam Sangma told reporters he could not meet the agitating teachers as he was busy with rescue and relief work in flood and landslide-hit Garo Hills.
“Since I am back here, I can meet them any time,” Sangma said, adding that the department is trying to find a way to resolve the issue.
Stating that SSA is a central government programme where the state’s share in the salary component was only 10% at one point of time, he said the Centre is reducing its share by 5% every year since 2018.
“Now the Centre’s share is 70% and the state’s share is 30%. Next year, it will be 65:35 and soon, it will be 50:50,” Sangma said, adding that he has held discussions with Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on the matter.
He said there are financial challenges considering that the issue involves 10,000 ad hoc teachers and 13,000 SSA teachers. He said a formula is being worked out to help the teachers.
He admitted that the teachers’ demands are genuine but appealed to them to go back to classes stating that the students are waiting for them.
Opposition leader Mukul Sangma had on Monday slammed the state government for its alleged indifferent attitude towards the agitating SSA teachers.
