TURA, Dec 21 - The All Garo Hills SSA School Teachers� Association (AGHSSASTA) expressed deep resentment over the delay in pending salaries before Christmas, while questioning the insensitivity of the state government in clearing the dues.
Further, the teachers threatened to go on a 2-day hunger strike on December 24 and 25 if the government still does not clear the pending dues of the teachers.
�We are yet to be paid our salaries for the past 5 months, i.e., from August till date, and are extremely unhappy with the development and the adamant attitude of the state government in clearing them. Ignoring the fervent pleas of the SSA teachers� to release their pending salaries during the festive season means degrading and depriving all SSA teachers of the state,� said a release by the AGHSSASTA.
The association questioned the rationale behind irregular payments when all other states had been disbursing regular salaries since 2020-21 as per PAB.
�How can we attend duty on an empty stomach? This will definitely impact enrolment of students in various SSA schools if the teachers are unable to attend. If we go by the words of the Education Minister, single-digit schools will be shut down. Is this the opportunity being taken by the state Government to shut down some of our schools,� they asked.
The teachers recollected Chief Minister Conrad Sangma�s words on imparting quality education and asked how quality education can be imparted without paying salaries to the SSA teachers.
The teachers questioned as to how the Education Minister continues to maintain that funds had not been released from the Centre, when on August 14 the PAB for the teachers had already been sanctioned.
