SHILLONG, MAR 2: The Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government on Wednesday assured to immediately release two months’ pending salary to the SSA teachers after thousands of them hit the street to demand for their rights.
The assurance was made by the Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui to a delegation of the Meghalaya SSA Schools Association (MSSASA) during a meeting held here.
The delegation was invited for discussion soon after the SSA teachers intended to march to the Secretariat as a mark of protest against the government’s adamant attitude to release their five months pending salary from October last year to February this year.
“MDA government, we do not ask for luxury life, we only ask for fulfilling our essentials and just to merely keep bread on the table. Please release our 5 months’ salary,” read a banner carried by the teacher protesters as they shouted anti-government slogans during the march.
However, the teachers were prevented from marching towards the secretariat on the ground that the permission granted by the district administration was that they march towards Malki ground.
Addressing media persons after the meeting, Rymbui said, “I have assured that the government will try its best to release at least two months’ salary at the earliest.”
He informed that the government would immediate clear the remaining three months’ pending salary once the Government of India sanctioned the second instalment.
“I am hopeful in the coming days and weeks the Government of India will release the second installment,” he said.
According to him, around Rs 145 crore is required to clear the five months’ salary of the SSA teachers.
Stating that the implementation of the SSA programme in Meghalaya is a very tricky issue, the education minister said that convergence of minds is needed for resolving this issue.
“This is a very tricky issue where the convergence of minds is needed be it from the policy makers, be it from the stakeholders. Until and unless we have some sort of mechanism (in place), it would be difficult and this same issue will crop up again and again,” he asserted.
After a meeting with the education minister, President of the MSSASA Aristotle C Rymbai said that the SSA teachers are compelled to take to the streets for demanding their rights.
“The government has agreed to release our two months pending salary which is for October and November. We are also given the assurance that the remaining three months will also be released at the earliest,” he said.
When asked, Rymbai said that the MSSASA had suggested the state government to come up with a policy to ensure that such protest by the teachers is avoided in the future.
“We have suggested the government why not you frame a policy to do as you have done for adhoc and deficit teachers to release their salary quarterly, so that we as SSA teachers also will understand and we can manage our livelihood,” he said while adding that the education minister has also assured to discuss the matter with the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and the education department.
There are over 12,541 teachers working in the SSA schools across the state.
By Our Reporter
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