SHILLONG:
The state government on Tuesday ruled out reinstating contractual teachers whose services have been terminated.
The government was reacting to the demand of the teachers under the banner of the Meghalaya Government LP School Contractual Association (MGLPSCA) for reinstatement.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said that such teachers were appointed to officiate for two to four years when the Education department was conducting exams and interviews to fill up the vacant posts.
“In the past the government appointed them to officiate in order to fill up the vacant teachers’ posts in various LP schools in the state, but as soon as it was done, the department had to terminate their jobs,” said Tynsong.
Tynsong said that after termination of their services, the Education department had given them a chance to appear in the MTET for filling up other vacant posts by relaxing their age limit and other criteria but the agitating teachers did not seem to have passed the written or personnel examination.
He added that the state government cannot reconsider their demand as the Education department had already filled up the vacant posts in all the LP schools in the state through various exams besides personal interviews.
The MGLPCTA on Monday met Chief Minister Conard K Sangma over the demand for reinstatement of the teachers.
The teachers said that they were appointed in 2010 and 2012 but they were removed from the service last year after the government introduced Meghalaya Teacher Eligibility Test exams in 2018-19.
“We were appointed in 2010 and 2012 and that that time, there were no MTET. However, the government introduced the examination in 2018 and is now asking us to appear for it. We have passed the age and don’t have the interest to study anymore. And since we were appointed before the introduction of MTET, we, the contractual teachers, should be reappointed and allowed to serve till the age of 60,” Birbur Riangtem, president of MGLPCTA, had said.
Earlier in the day, hundreds of teachers under the banner of MGLPCTA staged a sit-in demanding their reinstatement in front of the chief minister’s residence but later, were asked by the authorities to shift near the Governor’s House.
More reports on page 3