By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 27: Meghalaya has over 32,000 government teachers who have not yet cleared Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui said on Monday.
In a September 1 order, the Supreme Court has made TET mandatory for all in-service teachers to continue in service.
Rymbui told reporters the state government has decided to file a review petition in the Supreme Court against the order.
Stating that over 32,000 teachers in the state may be affected, he said the government would urge the apex court to exempt all those who were appointed before the rolling out of the Right to Education Act since the court’s order is retrospective and also because the subsequent notification of NCTE set the standards for the teachers.
The minister said teachers, who have already cleared MTET, are no longer required to appear for any TET exams. Their services will continue, he added.
The Meghalaya SSA Schools’ Association filed a review petition in the Supreme Court on October 25, seeking a review of the order.
The court had exempted the teachers, who have less than five years of service left, but they will not be given promotion and the verdict will have a retrospective effect.
Notably, the verdict exempts minority institutions, and the matter has been referred to the constitutional bench.
At the same time, the Meghalaya government is keen to streamline the education system, Rymbui said, adding that the government is in favour of having only two structures of schools —aided/government schools and private schools – in the state.
He mentioned that the government is holding consultations over the idea of a structured pay system and likely to come up with the modalities by December.
