Lessons for Legislators

Deficit School Teachers Vrs Meghalaya Government

Deficit school teachers in Meghalaya are in agony being denied of a fair deal by the government and management. They have been pressurised by unfavourable circumstances in expressing their sorry plight through agitations including dharnas and strikes; calling for the support of parents and those concerned in the fight for their rights.

It is not only during these few months that the teachers are in a state of unrest. In fact, since the creation of the state of Meghalaya nearly forty years ago, the teachers have been demanding their dues time and again, but their cries seem to have fallen on deaf ears.

Only the other day, the teachers have resorted to expressing their woes to His Excellency R.S Mooshahary, the Governor of Meghalaya and have pleaded with him to hear them out. They are of the opinion that they are a neglected lot in spite of the fact that they have the added responsibility of training their pupils right from a young and tender age besides the charge of grooming them to pass their examinations.

Unlike the other government servants in the various departments who get their salaries on the first of every month besides enjoying various allowances and perks, the teachers are not even paid regularly especially those under the deficit system. Teachers have to wait three to four months to get their salaries and it becomes difficult for them to even meet their primary needs. Why is it that the teachers can not be paid in time? This is a question that has to be probed into after which the system should be set right.

The teachers under the banner of the Khasi – Jaintia Deficit School Teachers’ Association and the Garo Hills District School Teachers and Employees Association are therefore struggling to assert their rights especially since the forty percent arrears that has not been paid has become the crux of the issue. It is a commitment of the government that the arrears will be paid. The snag, however, is that the government has stated that no funds are available for this payment as it would amount to rupees two hundred and ten point ninety nine crore.

The teachers have therefore threatened to stage an indefinite strike which obviously means that these teachers would abstain from taking classes for an indefinite period of time. Such a step would affect the students of 121 deficit schools in Meghalaya. To counter such a move, the State Education Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh has asked the managing committees of the schools to appoint temporary teachers. This is certainly not a task that the managing committees will be able to accomplish overnight.

The government on the other hand has accepted the recommendations of the Fourth Pay Commission for enhanced salaries to teachers including the forty percent arrears. The government therefore can not let down the Education Department by not fully implementing the Fourth Pay Commission revisions including the forty percent arrears payment. Once a monetary allocation is made it is expected that the government is to make prompt payment instead of coming up with excuses of non – availability of funds. Here again it is the teachers who feel neglected and that there exists a bias against teachers compared to the other government employees.

In fact, the government employees within the main secretariat itself were up in arms when they took recourse to ‘gherao’ the Chief Minister himself Dr. Mukul Sangma, preventing him from entering his office chamber; protesting against reports that revealed that thirty percent of their arrears would be diverted to the payment of the forty percent arrears due to the teachers. The Chief Minister pleaded ignorance of the reports and stated that the government was in the process of clearing the pending arrears of the government employees. The employees also entered the chamber of the Education Minister accusing her of advising the Chief Minister to divert their arrears payment which she flatly denied.

The Chief Minister had however admitted that the state was in a financial crunch as the Union Finance Ministry and the Planning Commission have been approached for allocation of an advanced special plan assistance of rupees five hundred and forty five crores.

This year, the 49th celebrations of Teachers’ Day in the state was marred when deficit teachers marched out of the function organised by the government in protest against the delay in payment of the forty percent arrears. Slogans were raised with the teachers holding placards demanding immediate payment of the arrears in June this year, yet, till date this commitment is yet to be honoured. Again, the Chief Minister of the state had reassured that payment would be made after Independence Day, that is, after August 15th this year but this too was not done. Reacting to the walkout by the teachers from the venue of the official Teachers’ Day celebrations, the Education Minister had asked, “How can we dish out rupees fifty one crore from a strained exchequer just overnight?”

Queen Marie Antoinette of France is infamous for her statement “If there is no bread let them eat cake” when the hungry populance of France were shouting and crying for bread. This sparked off the French Revolution.

Education if not more, is an equally important department of the government especially dealing with the future of the present generation yet the teachers continue to suffer because of irregular payment of salaries and also with no benefits such as pension and medical reimbursement enjoyed by other government employees. How can their wards the students get quality education which is the essence of modern education in such a situation?

The entire system of education has therefore to be changed, especially in the context of improving the teachers’ lot not to deny and delay the amenities that they deserve. A clear framework should also be chalked out regarding management and service rules for teachers so as to rule out any exploitation and victimisation by the management. Mere promises and assurances will not help anybody as there is also a limit to patience.

Teachers have to face various challenges in their profession and also their general welfare, yet it is always two – way traffic, that the government also pays more attention to help teachers attain trust and confidence so that they can dedicate their service like the great teachers such as Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan towards the cause of education.