Shillong, Sep 14: Voice of the People Party (VPP) president and Nongkrem MLA Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit defended his party’s demand for the removal of Commissioner and Secretary in the Education Department, Vijay Kumar Mantri.
Basaiawmoit said the opposition party raised the issue after seeing his “confusing working style” and that opposition from teachers themselves validates the demand.
“It is on this basis we demanded his removal,” the VPP president said.
Basaiawmoit also clarified that the VPP did not question the Structured Pay Framework (SPF) for SSA or ad hoc teachers. What the party is concerned about is that the SPF will be applied to teachers in government and deficit schools, which will be to their disadvantage.
“It is here we question if the government wants to do away with these posts in government and deficit schools,” Basaiawmoit added.
Citing the SPF and the statement of SSA Schools Association president Aristotle C Rymbai, he said the discontent among SSA teachers is evident. If teachers are satisfied with the present arrangement, he added, it will only lessen VPP’s burden when it comes to power in 2028.
“When we come to power, we don’t have to think about the SSA or ad hoc teachers because they are satisfied with whatever they are getting now,” Basaiawmoit added.
The VPP president said that the party will not allow this government to do away with the posts in government and deficit schools. He said that there is no clarity in the implementation of the SPF and the VPP is therefore taking up the issue.
“We see that this Commissioner and Secretary is the main reason for the chain of confusion in the Education Department and we keep on demanding [his removal] since he is not fit for the post,” Basaiawmoit said.
The opposition firebrand also slammed an incident where a teacher allegedly raised slogans in favour of the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) at a party meeting, calling it unfortunate and urging people not to be misled.
“The VPP, be it any issue that it takes up, it does not do so just because it is against someone or it has some personal grudges, be it officers, ministers or the government as a whole,” the VPP chief added.
