SHILLONG, Oct 1 � Around 1,860 deficit school teachers in Meghalaya would go on an indefinite strike from October 4 in protest against the State Government�s failure to clear their pending arrears.
The teachers under the banner of Khasi, Jaintia Deficit School Teachers� Association (KJDSTA) and the Garo Hills Deficit School Teachers and Employees� Association have called the strike.
The deficit school teachers are demanding clearance of 40 per cent arrears as per the recommendations of the 4th Pay Commission. The Education department, however, said that arrears running over Rs 50 crore would be cleared after the requisite funds are located.
The teachers calling the strike demanded that their arrears are released immediately as they have waited long enough for the clearance. �The government was given ample time to clear the arrears. We cannot wait any longer,� KJDSTA president, ED Nongsiang said at a press conference today.
They said that the State Government has not formulated its own rules regarding Managing Committees (MCs) of the deficit schools in the State. �We are still following the Assam rules with regards to the MCs of the State,� Nongsiang said.
The teachers claimed that many of the MCs were non-functional and therefore welfare measures of the teachers in these deficit schools were not being adequately taken care of.
Education Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh, meanwhile, lambasted the school teachers for their threat to go on strike. She advised MCs of schools to look for alternatives by getting in touch with parents of school students and alumni.
The decision of the school teachers to go on strike comes at a time when students are preparing for their board and school final examinations. There are 121 deficit schools in the State with 51 located in East Khasi Hills alone.
