The Meghalaya SSA Schools Association (MSSASA) is hoping that the Meghalaya government will stick to its promises to clear their dues, at least partially, this month.
After a massive public rally on March 2, Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui said that the state will clear two months’ worth of dues.
There are a total of 12,541 SSA teachers in Meghalaya who have not received their wages since October last year.
Speaking to Highland Post on Sunday, MSSASA president Aristotle C Rymbai said that the teachers will stick by what was assured by Rymbui, namely that two months’ wages will be released within a week after the budget session of the Assembly, which will conclude on March 17. The rest of the salaries will be cleared when funds are received from the Centre.
“The minister assured us that our five months’ salary will be released in a two-phase manner,” Rymbai said. “The minister also assured us that the annual amount of approximately Rs 33 crore under the financial support for payment of SSA teachers’ salaries as per capping norms of ‘Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan’ to be borne by the state government will be taken up in the ongoing Assembly session.”
SSA teachers in Garo Hills, under their own banner (AGHSSASTA) yesterday decided to cease work for a week from March 14 as they want all their dues cleared this month.
Rymbai declined to comment on AGHSSASTA’s decision but said, “We will take what is our right but we will follow up on all the assurances given by the government and see that all of it materialises.”
He urged AGHSSASTA to work together with the MSSASA since their demands are the same.
AGHSSASTA in a press release yesterday said that the SSA school teachers will not take classes, conduct examinations and will not attend training, medical and election duties starting on March 14.
Rymbai, however, opined that the fight of the SSA teachers is against the government and students should not suffer in the process.
“It doesn’t feel right because the students have nothing to do with this and our fight is with the state government and the students cannot lose their rights,” he added.
