Shillong, August 05: The Joint Action Committee of All Teachers’ Association of Meghalaya (JACATAM) to pressurize the state government for their demand of provinvialise the service of teachers, they have decided to go for the third phase of agitation by calling a two week strike in all school teachers teaching in both adhoc and deficit schools from 22 August till 4 September 2016,this was announced by AD Nongsiang chairman of the organization at the rally held a Madan Iewrynhep Shillong.
The teaching community under the banner of JACATAM felt that the state government is indifferent towards the long pending demand to provincialise the services of adhoc and deficit school teachers in the state. In this rally they have passed a resolution that they might disrupt the ‘Teachers Day’ celebration on 5 September if the state government does not invite them for talks to discuss on their demands before August 4.
The Chairman organization at the state rally of teachers, A. D Nongsiang said, “We have taken this decision after much deliberation and we appeal that no teacher should attend school duties during these 14 days and on 5 September our special day we request all the teachers to again assemble in Shillong so we can take a more drastic action if the government does not invite us for talks before 4 September.”
The Chairman Mr Nongsiang urged all teachers not to attend classes in this fourteen days agitation and if the government is obstinate to their demand they will further continued their agitation after 5 September. In today rally more than five thousand teacher come together from different part of the state by saying “YES” to accord their agreement to the announcement for the general strike.
Taking a jibe at other teachers association, he questioned, “Why are these teachers association preventing and threatening their teachers from supporting the JACATAM?”He said if other teacher association is working for the upliftment of education or raising the standard education or to get better service condition for the teachers the JACATAM will not prevent any teacher to join the campaign of other associations which will boost the welfare of the teaching community.
According to him, as per the statement of the Education Minister R C Laloo, it indicates that to him the teaching community are in the third level of society to which he has declined to meet them.
“If the state government had invited us for talks we will not be having this state rally nor will be planning for the fourth phase of agitation and if the government is concern about the students they should have invited us for talks,” he said adding that the government has instead pushed them to a cornered wall to which the teachers have to fight back to attain their rights.
Appealing the Education Minister to invite them for talks, he said, “I don’t understand why the Minister is shirking the responsibility to the Managing Committee (MC) when it is the government who should take the accountability and solve the problems of the teaching community.”
“The Chief Minister met us twice last year and in our first meeting 5 March, he did not sing instead he was weeping in front of us and after a few days he attended the assembly and he cried again while taking about the grievances of the teachers, however we want to know what has changed his mind when we met him again on the 29 July 2015,” he said.
Stating that the Chief Minister had assured them that he will be meeting the members of JACATAM on October 2015, he said, “Now it’s not October 2015 but its August 2016 and the CM has yet to invite us for talks despite repeated letters being sent from us however he is busy with other activities.”
He said if the state government argues that they don’t have sufficient funds then from where are they (government) are generating funds to organise various festival in the state.
Earlier, P. Wanlirpih Action Committee, Chairman JACATAM, said, “I would like to apologise to the Chief Minister for some harsh comments I have made about his singing and dancing ability but a message from the teaching community is that singing and dancing is a very good trait however please don’t sing only to your tune instead sing to the tune of all the citizen of Meghalaya.”
