By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 3: The Meghalaya SSA Schools Association (MSSASA) has decided to continue its dialogue with the state government on matters concerning SSA teachers.
Addressing reporters after a general meeting held at Student’s Field, Jaiaw, association president Aristotle Rymbai on Saturday expressed satisfaction with the government’s efforts so far to address issues faced by SSA teachers.
Rymbai said the meeting was convened to update members on the outcomes of five rounds of discussions with the Education Department, led by Commissioner and Secretary Vijay Kumar Mantri.
He explained that a key issue discussed was the department’s recent notification seeking approval from SSA schools—run by religious minorities, traditional bodies, private entities, NGOs, and civil societies—to transfer their management to the department.
According to Rymbai, this move aligns with guidelines from the Ministry of Education, which call for dual management in SSA schools.
He said the preferred model places administrative control under the Education Department, while SSA remains solely a funding agency tasked with implementing the Right to Education (RTE) Act and disbursing teacher salaries.
He also referenced a government notification received on May 2, outlining a new initiative aimed at addressing structural inefficiencies within the Education Department and improving Meghalaya’s low ranking in the national Performance Grading Index (PGI).
The initiative—titled the Meghalaya Education Grant (MEG)—proposes a unified framework for funding and managing all categories of grant-in-aid schools, including ad hoc, deficit pattern, fourth teachers and SSA schools that opt not to transfer their management to the department.
“All schools, regardless of their current status, will be covered under MEG and receive uniform benefits,” Rymbai said.
He also informed that the government has invited feedback on the proposed scheme from all stakeholders—school management committees, sponsoring bodies, parents’ associations, teachers’ organisations, and academicians—by May 31, following which broader consultations will be held.
Earlier, on April 15, MSSASA had urged the government to allow a three-week period for SSA schools hesitant to submit No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for the proposed management transfer.
In a memorandum, the association pointed out that many schools were struggling to convince their School Management Committees (SMCs).
“We understand that this is a complex decision, and schools may need more time. We requested an extension until May 5, 2025, to allow them to finalise their stance and to urge the government to issue clear implementation guidelines,” Rymbai had stated.