Meghalaya education minister Lahkmen Rymbui has informed that the state government is actively considering enhancing the salary of the adhoc teachers and is also in the process of releasing the two months’ salary of the SSA teachers before the end of March.
“Regarding the demand of the adhoc teachers, I have already stated time and again that the matter is under consideration of the government,” Rymbui told reporters in Shillong on March 23.
Refusing to comment further on the issue, he said it is not advisable for him to say much at this stage since the matter is under active consideration of the Meghalaya government.
His statement came against the backdrop of the ongoing protest staged by the ad hoc teachers under the banner of the Federation of All School Teachers’ of Meghalaya (FASTOM).
Whether the government is also considering upgrading the services of the adhoc teachers to the deficit system, Rymbui replied: “No, we cannot do that.”
“We have already explained what we will do. The government is considering enhancing (the salary) taking into consideration the services, the rise in prices of essential commodities and cost of living,” he said.
According to him, the government is still working out the financial implications if the decision is to be implemented. “We will tell you as and when we finish the process,” he added.
On the MSSASA’s ultimatum that the SSA teachers’ salary should be released before March 25, the education minister said he had clearly conveyed to the delegation of the association that the two months’ salary will be released before March 31.
“We will release before the end of this month so the matter ends there. The process is on and we will try to expedite at the earliest possible,” he said.
“It is also never my intention to mislead the people I stand by (my) words that I and government will do as committed,” Rymbui said while reacting to the allegation that his assurance was just a delaying tactic.
The Meghalaya education minister said that there is no one solution to the problem of having many categories of schools in the state adding “this will go on”.
“From what I have seen it is not a matter of one-six crore it is a matter of huge expenditure, it is public money after all but it does not mean it is just to pay for the salary (there are also) various sectors we have to look into,” he said adding if the state would have one type of Meghalaya government schools, it will cost Rs 7-30 crore plus every year.
