Shillong, Dec 17: The state government has made it clear that Meghalaya Teacher Eligibility Test (MTET) will be mandatory only for new appointees, and not for in-service teachers, providing a huge relief to thousands of teachers in the state.
The confusion, especially among SSA teachers, over eligibility criteria for teacher jobs was cleared by education minister Rakkam A Sangma on Monday.
Teachers working under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) had earlier raised concerns over applicability of MTET on them.
“Since these teachers are already appointed, the question doesn’t arise… but for new appointments, MTET is mandatory. I don’t think those who are already appointed need MTET to continue,” he said.
The clarification came close on the heels of Meghalaya SSA Schools Association (MSSASA) demanding exemption from MTET for SSA teachers appointed on or before July 1, 2020, when the government issued a notification making MTET mandatory.
However, Sangma stressed the importance of following the Ministry of Education’s guidelines and adhering to the norms set by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).
“All teachers teaching in schools should have the required qualification,” he stated.
On the demand for the formation of an empowered committee to address the job security and policy development for SSA teachers, Sangma suggested that it may not be necessary.
He pointed to the existing State Education Commission, which is already addressing issues related to SSA teachers, government schools, colleges, and universities.
Meanwhile, he admitted financial constraints posing a challenge before the Commission to make its recommendations especially on SSA teachers.
