SHILLONG:
The Meghalaya Government Lower Primary Contractual Teachers Association (MGLPCTA), on Monday, met Chief Minister Conrad Sangma over their demand for the reinstatement of their previous jobs and informed that the chief minister has assured them that he will look into the matter.
The teachers said that they were appointed in the year 2010 and 2012 but they were removed from the service last year after the government introduced Meghalaya Teacher Eligibility Test (MTET) 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,” said Birbur Riangtem, president of MGLPCTA.
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 to near the Governor’s House.
Two to three teachers fell ill during the sit-in demonstration at the premises of the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBoSE) but refused treatment and continued their sit-in. Later, Riangtem said that they had been unwell from before and the current situation must have added to the ongoing tension.
The incident took place shortly after a delegation of the association met the Deputy Commissioner who had called them for talks.
Riangtem also informed that the DC has given them permission to spend the night at premises of the MBoSE office.