Shillong, Oct 7: Meghalaya education minister Lahkmen Rymbui on Friday assured the agitating Meghalaya Government Lower Primary Contractual Teachers that age condonation will be given to the teachers so that they can appear the Meghalaya Teacher Eligibility Test (MTET).

Concerning the use of tear gas, the Home Minister said he has sought a report from the District Administration on the exact details of events since there are two sides of the story.

“Section 144 was imposed and they were not granted permission to march forward, so I have sought a report and will have to act accordingly,” said Rymbui.

The Meghalaya Government Lower Primary Contractual Teachers’ Association (MGLPCTA), who had been sleeping in front of the main Secretariat building demanding the reinstating of their services, were on Friday called by the State government for talks.

The MGLPCTA, who have been agitating since September 7 at Civil Hospital junction, on Thursday decided to march towards the Secretariat along with their family members. The police tried to stop them from reaching the Secretariat but the crowd pushed through and kept on marching which resulted in a brief scuffle between the teachers and the police. The police lobbed three tear gas canisters to disperse the agitating teachers.

On Thursday afternoon, after the tear gas incident, the teachers had refused to meet the state government and asked the district magistrates on the ground to convey the message that “they are not ready to be fooled again and that they will only call off their agitation if the government issued an order for reinstatement.”