SHILLONG, SEP 29: Commissioner & Secretary in-charge Education Vijay Kumar Mantri on Monday met the agitating adhoc teachers under the banner of the Federation of Adhoc School Teachers of Meghalaya (FASTOM), who have been staging their indefinite sit-in-demonstration for the past 192 hours.
They have decided to continue with the protest until the state government acquiesces to their demand of upgrading adhoc schools to the deficit system.
“He (Mantri) promised (us) to properly study the demands of the federation,” FASTOM publicity secretary EG War said.
This decision to continue the protest was taken after a delegation of the federation expressed dissatisfaction over a recent meeting held with the education minister Lahkmen Rymbui, who stated that the government will thoroughly examine and review various suggestions regarding the proposal to streamline school categories in the state before reaching a decision.
According to the vice president of FASTOM S Jungai, the proposal for the Meghalaya Education Grant (MEG) is still in its initial stage, and adhoc teachers are uncertain about its implementation.
“As adhoc teachers, we do not really know whether it will be implemented or not at the end of the day. So, we will stick to our main demand, which is the upgradation of adhoc schools to the deficit system or deficit pattern,” he stated.
The agitating teachers had expressed frustration over the lack of official communication from the government despite sending six reminders to the Chief Minister’s office.
“We will continue until the chief minister responds to our demands,” they had said.
By Our Reporter
