Shillong, March 26: Hundreds of agitated Lower Primary teachers under the banner of the All Meghalaya Primary School Teachers Association (AMPSTA) and the All Primary School Teachers Association (APSTA) gathered at Dinam hall premises to pressurize the government to address their long pending demands however later they decided to call off their strike for the time being following the release order of their pending salaries to non-government and lower primary school teachers under the non plan expenditure from the government.
The primary and lower primary teachers gathered at Jaiaw to discuss and chalk out their future course of actions in pressurizing the government to give in to their demands. However, the teachers was ecstatic with joy on the news of the grant-in aid of Rs. 24,10,19,977 being sanctioned, w.e.f from December 2012 till February 2013 with daily allowances at 56 percent for payment of salary to 3852 non-government LPS teachers under non-plan.
As per the order it was mentioned that a sanction of fund for maintenance grant-in-aid for payment of salary to non government LP School teachers under non plan with effect from 1 of december 2012 to 28 february 2013 which is placed at the disposal of the sub-Divisional School education officers with dearness allowance at 56% for payment of salary to 3852 non governmnet. LP school teachers under non-plan has been released.
The General Secretary of the organisation, FC .Shullai informed the gathering about the decision of the government to release the amount plus the willingness to discuss the other demands of the organisation aswell and suspended their agitational programmes.
Talking to reporters Shullai said that the organisation has decided to suspend their stir following the fullfillment of one of their demands. He further hoped that the other demands of the organisation which includes head teacher allowances, maternity and retirement benfits will be also addressed in the right earnest.
“Failure of the education department to address our issue got us into the agitational mode and now with the grant-in aid of Rs. 24,10,19,977 being sanctioned, we have decided to suspend our stir,” said Shullai.
Besides, the AMPSTA has also extended its support to the All India Primary School Teachers’ Federation (ALPSTF) in its move to oppose the union government’s decision to privatise the elementary education through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
Citing their reasons behind their move to oppose the government’s decision, Shullai said that if it is privatised, government will have little link and 75 percent would be controlled by the private sector and this will give the private sector an upper hand in decision making.
The union Government has recently approved setting up of 2,500 model schools (2012-13) under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode in blocks which are not educationally backward.
Mr Shullai also informed that he along with 200 teachers from the across the region would join the protest called by the ALPSTF at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on April 4. (SP News)
