By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 3: The Federation of Ad hoc School Teachers of Meghalaya (FASTOM) has called off its indefinite hunger strike after the state government assured to implement four of their key demands, including the introduction of basic pay from April 1, 2026.
The association, which had been on an indefinite sit-in protest since September 22, decided to end the agitation following simultaneous meetings of FASTOM’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) in Shillong and Tura on Thursday. The decision came a day after its leaders met Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma at his residence on Wednesday.
FASTOM vice president S. Jungai told reporters that the government had agreed to their four key demands—introduction of basic pay for ad hoc teachers based on years of service, revised pay scales for teachers completing 10, 20, and 30 years of service, provision of dearness allowance once a year, and an 8% government contribution to the Contributory Provident Fund (CPF), matched by an equal 8% contribution from teachers.
“These four points will be implemented from the next financial year, starting April 1, 2026,” Jungai said.
He added that the Government has sought three months to prepare the framework for basic pay, DA and CPF, with a final decision on the quantum of benefits expected by Christmas.
Reacting to the FASTOM’s decision to end their indefinite agitation, Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui on Friday underlined the Meghalaya government’s commitment to delivering the best to its people, with Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma keeping health, education, and infrastructure as key priorities.
Rymbui said the government was continuously exploring ways to address the concerns of teachers across all categories.
He noted that while increments were made in 2022, the revision was limited by the state’s financial capacity at that time. “The education department has been working on various proposals aimed at streamlining the system, with the goal of ensuring that children receive quality education,” he said.
Rymbui stressed that the government recognised the importance of financial security and social benefits for teachers.
He pointed out that the Chief Minister, during a recent meeting with FASTOM leaders, explained the constraints but gave his commitment to addressing the problem.
“The CM assured the delegation that efforts were being made to work towards a structured salary system for teachers. This can be achieved through a convergence of ideas between the government and stakeholders,” Rymbui said.
He expressed hope that the discussions and commitments made would mark the beginning of a transformative change. If both sides continued to work together, he said, the government could take a concrete decision in the next two to three months to resolve “a long-standing issue that has persisted since the inception of the state”.
The Education Minister hoped this would ultimately be remembered as a historic step for education in Meghalaya.
In a related development, the Meghalaya Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Schools Association (MSSASA) will hold its general meeting at Malki ground at 11 am on October 6 to deliberate on its three-point charter of demands.
MSSASA president, Aristotle Rymbai said the meeting will focus on discussions held earlier with the state government regarding the grievances of SSA teachers.
The three key demands of the SSA teachers are strengthening of their services, implementation of a proper pay structure to enhance salaries, and deliberation on the Supreme Court’s September 1 order making it mandatory for all in-service teachers to clear the Teachers’ Eligibility Test (TET).
The verdict has raised serious concerns in Meghalaya, where nearly 10,000 SSA teachers have yet to clear the test and now face the possibility of losing their jobs.
