Shillong, Mar 21: Federation of All School Teachers of Meghalaya (FASTOM) on Monday served a 10-day ultimatum to government of Meghalaya to fulfill their demands, failing which they have announced to go on indefinite strike from April 1.

FASTOM carried out a general meeting at Malki ground on Monday to decide about their next course of action concerning their agitation demanding for the upgradation of adhoc schools in Meghalaya.

FASTOM EC member and the Khasi Jaintia Hills Adhoc School Teachers’ Association (KJHASTA) president Mayborn Lyngdoh said, “We demand the government to deficitize the ad hoc teachers of Meghalaya.”

He said the same was made clear to the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma in August 2019. The Chief Minister had assured to call the teachers in the month of November 2019 to discuss on the matter but that has not happened till date, Lyngdoh said.

Earlier, the members of the association had intended to march towards Secretariat but were prohibited to proceed as they failed to get the permission of the District Administration.

Currently a lower primary school teacher is paid Rs 12,000 per month, upper primary level teacher is paid Rs 16,000, secondary level Rs 20,000 and higher secondary Rs 24,000 without any additional allowances.

“After protest staged by our leaders infront of the secretariat, we met Director of Directorate of School Education and Literacy, Ambrose Marak and based on the discussion we had, a new proposal has been sent by FASTOM that is to have our pay increased by Rs 18,000 and 5 percent increment every year irrespective of lower primary, upper primary, secondary and higher secondary. However, nothing has come out till date despite having wait for two months,” Lyngdoh said.

Stating that the FASTOM will stick to the demand, he said, “We are no longer negotiating with the government it is on the part of the government they should negotiate with us. We have told the government what we want, we have bargain with the government based on their terms now it is the government who should listen to our demands and who should come to the table of agreement with us.”

He warned, “Should the government not pay heed to our demands, then we will stage an indefinite agitation until our demands are met.”