Shillong, Oct 15: Deficit teachers on Thursday ended their three-day mass casual leave with a sharp attack on the state government, saying the agitation was “a big lesson outside the classroom.”
In a press statement, Khasi Jaintia Deficit School Teachers Association (KJDSTA) President Boswell Pala said the government had “shown its true colours” and that suspicion that those in charge of government and the Education Department “do not have a conscience is confirmed.”
“Why else would they only bluff and mislead just before and during our mass casual leave,” Pala said.
He alleged the government has “mustered enough indifference” to deny legitimacy to their demands in a bid to carry out its “cynical plan on the deficit system.”
Pala said for one year the association tried to find justification for the Chief Minister not wanting to meet them and the “casualness of the Education Minister and lies and manipulation of the Commissioner and Secretary.”
“Circumstances and actions and silence and various documents point to one thing that the government means harm. Is it vindictiveness? Is it sheer greed? We have enough reason to believe it is both,” he said.
“We are not eager to just meet and have tea with the Chief Minister. We want our issues resolved,” Pala said, adding retired teachers are denied respect and dignity after long years of service.”
After countless attempts to hurt students and teachers, it is increasingly difficult to find good words for this government run by supposedly a very educated gentleman,” he said.
Pala said people who support the “sadism” of the government may assign motives to agitation, but it only strengthens resolve. The association is defending fellow teachers, employees, countless students dependent on the deficit system and young aspirants.
He said as decided in its meeting on October 14, teachers will go back to school after the three-day leave and reassess after Pujas.
“Simply, we get our dues or we agitate. Education system in Meghalaya is safe and secure for our students or we agitate. Exactly what we will do to agitate will be announced after our meeting. But no bluff or blackmail from the government, please,” Pala added.
