It seems there is no end to protest over non-payment of salary in Meghalaya.
After the employees of Mawmluh Cherra Cements Limited (MCCL) and Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL), it is now the turn of SSA school teachers.
The Meghalaya SSA Schools Association (MSSASA) has decided to launch a Post Card Campaign to Prime Minister’s of India Office from December 15 onwards through offline and online mode to protest against delay by the Ministry of Education to release the funds of first installment of Centre’s share to Meghalaya as a result of which 12,541 SSA teachers in the State have not been paid of their salary for five months since August.
According to MSSASA president Aristotle Rymbai, as many as 5814 lower primary teachers and 6727 upper primary teachers teaching in 5166 SSA schools in the State are yet to receive their salary for five months from August this year.
“The teachers have been facing several financial problems and had to borrow money from their relatives and friends to manage their everyday expenses,” Rymbai said.
Rymbai also informed that MSSASA had raised the issue of non-payment of salary to the concerned authorities multiple times.
“Recently during the meeting of the association with the State Project Director, SEMAM-SSA on December 2, he informed us that due to delay by the Ministry of Education, Government of India to release the funds of first installment to Meghalaya, the SEMAM-SSA is not in position to pay the five months’ pending salary to SSA teachers,” Rymbai said.
He also said that the State Project Director informed the MSSASA that despite of all the necessary requirements sent by the State Government to Ministry of Education and several meetings and discussion with the officials of the Ministry the condition remains the same.
The State Project Director also informed the association that SEMAM-SSA is trying to release the salary to SSA teachers before Christmas subject to receipt of funds from Ministry of Education.
“In the present situation of Covid-19 pandemic, teachers had been finding it hard to manage their daily expenses of their families. Also, pressures are coming from all angles. The school authorities have started demanding to clear the school fees for our children, some teachers are facing problems to pay the medical expenses of their kids and families members and many more. In the past three-four months we would at least borrow money from lenders, shopkeepers, etc, but now, no one is willing to oblige because SSA teachers are in debt from head to toe,” Rymbai said.
