Education Minister meets both factions of SSA teachers, seeks more time to address their demands

Shillong, Oct 16: Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma on Wednesday met the two groups of SSA teachers under the banner of Meghalaya SSA Schools Association (MSSASA) and the All Meghalaya SSA School Teachers’ Association (AMSSASTA) for talks and sought for more time to ensure state government comes up with a formula to address their issues.

“I met the two groups of SSA teachers. I have requested them to give the government more time to work out a formula to resolve their issues,” Sangma told reporters.

There is a glaring division among the SSA teachers. While the MSSASA have served a two-month ultimatum to the state government to come up with a policy to secure the services of SSA teachers, the AMSSASTA, on the other hand, are staging an indefinite sit-in-demonstration for the past 16 days demanding immediate enhancement of salary to SSA teachers by 100 percent.

Asked, the education minister informed that the government would require to spend an additional of over Rs 300 crore for enhancing the salary of over 13,000 SSA teachers adding “If we have to absorb them (SSA teachers into the education department), we have to give them scale of pay and if we do that, we may require an additional amount of Rs 130 crore.”

“Therefore, we are finding ways and means to do what is in the best interest of the teachers. We will do something…,” he said.

On the AMSSASTA’s decision to turn down his request to call off their protest, Sangma said, “Let them continue (with their agitation) because, like I said, the government needs more time before taking a decision on such important matters.”

Earlier, speaking to reporters after the meeting, AMSSASTA vice president Defender S Lamare said that the education minister had assured the delegation that the government is taking steps to address the issue.

“He (Rakkam) however told us that the process may be long since the matter has been handed over to the state education commission and that the government is waiting for its report. He said there are procedures to be followed. We don’t have any issue but we expect that the government will speed up the process so that the teachers will not suffer. We have been suffering for the last 16 days. We need to go to our respective schools because students need to be taught. Exam is very near and we are aware of that but we are compelled to move to the streets for our demand,” he said.

When asked, the vice president said that the AMSSASTA will continue with its sit-in-demonstration till the government comes up with a concrete decision.

“We urge our teachers to support us because the talk is going on and the government is in the process (of addressing the issue. We will wait for a few more days as he (minister) has assured that in few days they will be able to table the presentation. We are positive. But unless something concrete comes out, we will continue with our agitation,” he stated.

Also Read: SSA teachers seek Vice President Dhankhar’s intervention for salary hike

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