SHILLONG:
The Federation of All School Teachers of Meghalaya (FASTOM) has blamed the state government’s inability to utilise the three per cent cess meant for education for not increasing the salaries of ad hoc school teachers.
“The government says that it does not have enough money. In the last six years there has been a lot of tax collected by the government but the three per cent of cess that is supposed to go to education is nowhere to be found. That is why our salary is the same,” FASTOM spokesperson Mayborn Lyngdoh said.
He was speaking at a meeting held at Rongram Alagre Ground, Tura on Saturday.
He said that the last increment was in 2016-17 while the prices of all commodities and transportation charges have gone up since.
Lyngdoh said that whenever the teachers approach the government for enhancement they say that they do not have money which is a lie.
He pointed out that last year there was a report that Rs 5240.30 crore has been returned to the central government by the state because it was not able to produce utilisation certificate.
He also said that many of the ad hoc teachers have served for 25-30 years but the job is not permanent and any time they may lose it.
Lyngdoh informed that on April 22, the ad hoc teachers will launch their full-fledged agitational programme.
“We will not cooperate with the government any longer. We will boycott schools, correction duties, everything that is related to the government,” he said.
He urged the ad hoc teachers to bring along with them their families and friends to Shillong on that day and in the 50th year of statehood they want to create history.
FASTOM is agitating in front of MBoSE office, Shillong demanding more pay.