SHILLONG, July 8: The All Meghalaya Primary School Teachers’ Association (AMPSTA) has called upon the state government to urgently address a slew of concerns related to the proposed Meghalaya Education Grant (MEG) scheme, firmly demanding job security for deficit teachers and transparency in educational reforms.
Submitting a detailed memorandum to Education Minister Rakkam A. Sangma on Monday, the association expressed serious reservations about several aspects of the MEG policy.
Chief among their concerns is the proposed transfer of sanctioned deficit posts to the MEG system after the retirement of current incumbents. The Association warned that such a move could dismantle the existing framework of deficit posts, stripping future educators of job security and disrupting staffing continuity. It demanded that all deficit posts be retained and filled accordingly, rather than being absorbed or phased out under the new scheme.
While acknowledging the state government’s intention to improve educational outcomes, the Association criticised the lack of clarity in performance-based funding criteria. They fear the absence of clear guidelines could deepen inequality among under-resourced schools and create arbitrary performance pressures.
The association also raised concerns over the decision to hand unchecked authority to School Management Committees and Governing Bodies, warning that without adequate accountability, such measures could lead to misuse of power.
Further concerns were raised over the prolonged delay in filling long-pending vacancies, particularly in Garo and Khasi language subjects, and the opaque status of teacher contributions under the Contributory Provident Fund deposited with the State Bank of India’s Laitumkhrah branch. The association stated that successive government notifications have lacked clarity, compounding confusion among teaching staff.
On the issue of deficit posts, the Education Minister reportedly clarified that if a school’s management agrees to hand over all assets to the government, existing sanctioned posts would be converted into government posts. However, if management declines, the current deficit teachers would continue in their roles, but their posts would be shifted under MEG after retirement.
The Association responded by stating that such an arrangement offers no guarantee for future teachers and therefore demands a formal policy ensuring uninterrupted continuity of these posts.
It also expressed strong disagreement with the proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Education Department and the Mother’s Union, Tura. The education minister, meanwhile, assured the Association that the matter was on hold pending a decision by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma.
The Association has maintained that no reform should be implemented without meaningful consultation with grassroots educators.
They have also reiterated their support for educational reforms in principle but insisted that teacher rights and job security must be safeguarded.
The association has called on the government to respond to their concerns at the earliest to avoid escalation.
