BJP MDC from Tura, Bernard Marak has come out in support of all working employees, especially SSA teachers asserting that no one should be deprived of their rightful due.
“The plight of teachers and any employee of the government should not be treated as secondary; rather it should be on priority. So many false promises were made to the public during the election which the leaders ignore when they get elected,” said Bernard in statement today said.
SSA teachers of the state have been struggling with a lack of their wages for the past six months leading to them threatening a hunger strike from December 1 over their pending dues. The teachers have also threatened to protest outside Jantar Mantar in the national capital in an effort to raise the issue of their wages and their demand for a permanent job.
Despite several protests and submissions, neither chief minister Conrad Sangma, nor the education minister, Lahkmen Rymbui has provided any form of assurance of the crisis being solved at the earliest. The teachers have demanded the complete clearance of their six months pending salaries.
“Education is one of the priorities that has been neglected by the present government. So many students had to give up education because most parents could not afford the fees during lockdown and there was no relaxation of fees,” added Bernard.
The Tura MDC asserted that SSA schools were the only option for most students but that too has been neglected by the government.
“The Centre’s initiative to provide free education is being mocked by the leaders in power. This should not happen. SSA teacher’s salaries should be cleared immediately,” he stated.