₹300 cr needed for 100% pay hike, ₹130 cr to regularise services
Shillong, Oct 17: The state government has sought more time from the SSA teachers to decide on a framework to address their key demands, but failed to convince the agitating teachers to suspend their strike.
“I met the two groups of SSA teachers. I have requested them to give the government more time to work out a formula to resolve their issues,” education minister Rakkam A Sangma told reporters after meeting a delegation of the SSA teachers.
While one group All Meghalaya SSA School Teachers’ Association (AMSSASTA) has been on indefinite strike for past 16 days demanding 100% salary hike, the other group Meghalaya SSA Schools Association (MSSASA) has served a two-month ultimatum to the government to frame a policy to ensure service security of SSA teachers.
To meet the demand for salary hike for over 13,000 SSA teachers, the government would require an additional over ₹300 crore, the minister said. On the other hand, ₹130 crore would be needed to fulfill their demand for regularisation of service and pay accordingly from the education department.
“We are finding ways and means to do what is in the best interest of the teachers. We will do something…,” he said.
Meanwhile, AMSSASTA vice-president Defender S Lamare said the education minister had assured the delegation of taking active measures to address the issue although the “process may be long… since there are procedures to be followed”.
“We expect that the government will speed up the process so that the teachers won’t suffer… We need to go to our respective schools because students need to be taught. Exam is very near and we are aware of that but we are compelled to move to the streets for our demand,” he said.
He, however, said the SSA teachers under the association would continue with their sit-in demonstration till the government took any concrete decision.
“We are positive. But unless something concrete comes out, we will continue with our agitation,” he said.
