By Our Reporter
Shillong, Sep 29: Ad hoc teachers in Meghalaya, under the banner of the Federation of Ad hoc School Teachers of Meghalaya (FASTOM), have decided to continue their sit-in protest, even after Commissioner and Secretary of the Education Department, Vijay Kumar Mantri, met with the agitating teachers at Malki Ground on Monday.
The protest, ongoing since September 22, will continue until the government addresses the teachers’ demands, particularly regarding the upgradation of ad hoc teachers to the deficit pattern.
FASTOM Publicity Secretary EG War stated that he (Mantri) assured the teachers that the government would examine their demands thoroughly.
The meeting with Mantri came after teachers expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome of their earlier discussion with Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui.
During that meeting, Rymbui had assured FASTOM leaders that the government would review their demands and consider their suggestions to streamline the education system, including addressing the current system with multiple categories of teachers.
FASTOM Vice President S. Jungai highlighted concerns regarding the recently proposed Meghalaya Education Grant (MEG).
He said ad hoc teachers remain uncertain about its implementation.
“As ad hoc teachers, we still do not know whether the MEG will be implemented or not. So, we have raised our demands to ensure that ad hoc schools are upgraded to a deficit system or according to the deficit pattern,” he added.
The teachers, who submitted their grievances, expressed disappointment over the government’s lack of response, noting that they had already sent around six letters to the Office of the Chief Minister.
“We urge the Chief Minister to respond to our demands immediately,” they said.
