Shillong, May 15: The Meghalaya SSA School Association (MSSASA) today met the Deputy Chief Minister Mr Prestone Tynsong on the issue of maternity leave for teachers who were appointed under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), from the association presented to the Dy- Chief Minister the fact on the issue of maternity leave for teachers teaching in SSA Scholl.
The Meeting with the Deputy Chief Minister todau was the follow up action on the demand of the Teacher’s Union to avails the benefits of Maternity Leave to teachers recruited and working under budget head of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) in the State as per provision of Maternity Benefits Act 1961 – Right to Payment of Maternity Benefits and Maternity Benefits (Amendment) Act, 2017, the delegation of Meghalaya SSA School Association (MSSASA) Central Body today called on the Dy. Chief Minister Incharge Labour Department Prestone Tynsong at his office and submitted a memorandum seeking his intervention on the matter.
President of the Teacher’s Union Aristotle C Rymbai after meeting the Dy. Chief Minister informed the media, that since the beginning of implementation of SSA Flagship Programme in Meghalaya till date, the contractual teachers working under SSA are not entitled to avails the benefits of Maternity Leave as enjoyed by other categories of teachers.
” The Teacher’s Union last year have submitted several representation to the State Government through the State Project Director SEMAM-SSA office but the erstwhile Government failed to address on the issue despite the State Project Director SEMAM-SSA Ambrose Ch. Marak have send a letter to the State Government on October 9 last year requesting the Government to examine the demand of the Union in respect of granting of Maternity Leave to female SSA Teachers of SSA supported Schools”, Rymbai asserted.
Rymbai also stated, the Ministry of Labour & Employment Govt of India in its clarification issued on April 12, 2017 to all States and UTs Government clearly mentioned in Section 2 of the Maternity Benefits Act, the Act is applicable to all women who are employed in mines, agricultural, shops and any institutions or otherwise could be either in organized sector or unorganized sector either on contractual or as consultant, but unfortunately in Meghalaya till date the benefit of Maternity Leave have not given to teachers working under SSA.
Rymbai also informed that the delegation have brief all the facts and figures to the Dy. Chief Minister citing example of the neighbouring State like Assam were SSA teachers are entitled to avails leave as Special Annual Leave, Medical Leave, Study Leave besides Maternity Leave, which he (Tynsong) has assured to look into the matter and have said it is a genuine issue which the Government need to address on it.
