Shillong, Oct 16: Agitating school teachers under the banner of the All Meghalaya SSA School Teachers’ Association (AMSSASTA) have sought the intervention of the Vice President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar, into their demand for a hundred percent hike in their salary.

The teachers have been staging an indefinite sit-in-demonstration for the past 16 days.

In a memorandum to Dhankhar, AMSSASTA president, Peter Thyrniang, said, “(We) urge your honour kindly to take prompt intervention regarding the enhancement of the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan Teachers’ salary.”

He informed that despite submitting various memorandums on the matter since 2019, there has been no response from the state government till date.

“It has been eight long years since our salary has been enhanced. Since, the SSA scheme was implemented in Meghalaya, the salary of teachers usually increases every two to four years. In 2008, the salary was enhanced from 1,500 to Rs 3,000 (100%), in 2010 it was enhanced from Rs 3,000 to Rs 6,200 (100%), in 2013, it was enhanced from Rs 6,000 to Rs 9,200 for LP teachers (53.3%) and Rs 9,900 for UP teachers (65%), in 2016, it was enhanced from Rs 9,200 to Rs 19,044 (107%) for LP teachers and Rs 9,900 to Rs 20,493 (107%) for UP teachers. However, from 2017 till September 2024, no enhancement was given,” Thyrniang said.

“Considering the immense economic problems, great hardship in looking after the family and our children who are pursuing higher studies in different streams and grades of education. The high cost and inflation which the teachers are facing today, we strongly believe that the demand for enhancement of salary is a fair demand for consideration, weighing our contribution towards education and the dedication to our job. We value our teaching profession and look forward whole heartedly to contributing to the education growth in the state,” he stated in the letter.

“So, our two most important demands were – enhancement of salary and regularization of our post. The association has opted for the enhancement of salary since it is the need of the hour and for our survival in this high inflation time,” Thyrniang added.

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