By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Feb 14: The Federation of All Meghalaya Ad hoc Secondary Teachers Association (FAMASTA) has once again raised its voice against the wage disparity faced by its members amid rising hardships.
With rising inflation and increasing workloads, the teachers find themselves struggling to make ends meet, despite fulfilling all responsibilities assigned by the government.
FAMASTA President Bina Kharumnuid highlighted the dire situation of Aa hoc secondary teachers, emphasising the discrimination in salary structures compared to government-employed counterparts.
“We perform all official duties—election work, evaluation, census tasks — just like government teachers. Even our retirement and pension rules follow the government structure, yet when it comes to salaries, there is a stark difference,” Kharumnuid lamented.
The association’s demand for a fair wage is not new. Since its formation in 1998, FAMASTA has continuously petitioned the government for salary enhancements. While incremental raises have been granted over the years — from Rs 2,000 in the late 1990s to the current Rs 29,000 in 2022 — the amount remains insufficient in the face of soaring living costs. “We have been fighting for our basic pay plus dearness allowance (DA) since 2006. The current salary does not match our qualifications, workload, or responsibilities,” she added.
Kharumnuid painted a bleak picture of the struggles faced by ADHOC teachers.
“Many have families to support, yet their earnings remain inadequate. With today’s inflation, how can a teacher survive on this salary? Youths are forced into this profession due to unemployment, but job satisfaction is low. Quality education is at risk because overburdened teachers are unable to give their best,” she highlighted.
Comparing government and ad hoc schools, she pointed out another layer of disparity. “In government schools, there are multiple teachers for science subjects—one for physics, one for biology, another for mathematics. But in ad hoc schools, a single teacher handles all these subjects. The same applies to social sciences. Despite our workload, we are paid significantly less,” she said, questioning the logic behind such discrimination.
FAMASTA has consistently engaged with the government, submitting memorandums and reminding officials of their plight. “Every two to three years, we push for enhancement. That is the only way we see some increase,” Kharumnuid explained.
On February 5, FAMASTA met with Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, pressing for a 50% salary increase to ensure teachers’ survival. “He did not reject our demand outright. He said he would think it over and assured us to meet again. We remain hopeful that the government will take action within this year,” she said.
As Meghalaya’s ad hoc teachers await a decision, their struggle underscores a larger issue—the need for equitable pay and recognition of their vital role in shaping the future of students.