SHILLONG, March 02: The President of the Meghalaya SSA Schools Association (MSSASA) , Aristotle Rymbai informed that the Government has agreed to immediately release 2 months salaries first from the pending 5 months, that is for the months of October and November 2021, the arrangement for which will be made from the Department of Finance of the State Government, while for the remaining months, December 2021, January and February 2022, the salaries will be released once the funds have been received from the Government of India.
The Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan teachers today held a public rally starting from Polo Parking Lot and moving onward to Secretariat to demand the payment of their 5 months pending salaries. Owing to the teachers’ public rally, the Education Minister of Meghalaya, Lahkmen Rymbui called the teachers for a talk and gave his word to release their pending salaries.
As per the statement of Rymbai, today’s meeting with the Minister is a slight change from the usual in the last 5 years, the Government has not taken any action but now the State Government through the Finance Department will release the pending salaries for 2 months first from the ₹104 crores available with the Government. He stated that the final decision on what to do next will be taken after consultations with all the SSA teachers.
On being asked, Rymbai said that the SSA teachers are not against the Government, but they have to demand their rightful dues and also express to the Minister to resolve such problems once and for all so that the teachers would no longer need to resort to public agitations to demand the payment of their salaries. He said that the Association from its end has suggested implemented policies as is done for the salaries of Adhoc teachers and deficit teachers, or to release the salaries once in 3 months so that the SSA teachers can manage their budget and expenses in their households. Furthermore, he said that Rymbui from his end has promised to give due importance to the matter and will also express the same with the Chief Minister.
