Contractual teachers protesting at the loss of their jobs have criticised Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui for ignoring them stating it is against democracy and lack of respect for the years they have served.
The education minister had recently made it clear that the government will not hold any discussion with the contractual teachers.
The Meghalaya Government Lower Primary School Contractual Teachers’ Association (MGLPSTA) has been staging a hunger strike for the last two weeks opposite Shillong Civil Hospital.
Pointing out to a news report on how cabinet ministers, Hamletson Dohling and Sniawbhalang Dhar have allegedly managed to appoint staff in the Meghalaya Urban Development Authority (MUDA) by taking advantage there sans service rules, the teachers said the government has failed to address to their issues and concerns violating human rights.
“The education minister has made thoughtless statement without any respect for the years of services we have rendered and quality students we have produced. This is undemocratic and against human rights,” the teachers said.
The contractual teachers said that if the minister has the responsibility he should have taken their matter to the cabinet, but allowed his cabinet colleagues to make appointments bending all rules.
In January 2021, the state government terminated the services of teachers who did not clear the Meghalaya Teachers Eligibility Test (MTET), which the government made mandatory in 2020. Several contractual teachers are also now over the age limit and were under contract for more than 12 years.