FASTOM threatens indefinite agitation over govt’s failure to increase salary of adhoc teachers

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 21, 2022

Federation of All School Teachers of Meghalaya (FASTOM) has threatened to resort to indefinite agitation against the state government’s failure to deficitize and enhance the salary of the adhoc teachers in the state. 

The decision was taken at the general meeting of the federation held at Malki ground on Monday. 

The meeting also resolved to seek permission from the district administration for taking out a peace rally on Tuesday. 

“We have decided to march to the secretariat and to repeat the same agitation held on January 17 and 18, where we will stand in front of the main gate of the secretary till the government consider our demand,” FASTOM vice president Diningroy Marwein. 

FASTOM EC member and the Khasi Jaintia Hills Adhoc School Teachers’ Association (KJHASTA) president Mayborn Lyngdoh said, “We demand the government to deficitize the ad hoc teachers of Meghalaya.”

He said the same was made clear to the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma in August 2019. 

The Chief Minister had assured to call the teachers in the month of November 2019 to discuss on the matter but that has not happened till date, Lyngdoh said. 

“After protest staged by our leaders infront of the secretariat, we met Director of Directorate of School Education and Literacy, Ambrose Marak and based on the discussion we had, a new proposal has been sent by FASTOM that is to have our pay increased by Rs 18,000 and 5 percent increment every year irrespective of lower primary, upper primary, secondary and higher secondary. However, nothing has come out till date despite having wait for two months,” he said. 

Stating that the FASTOM will stick to the demand, Lyngdoh said, “We are no longer negotiating with the government it is on the part of the government they should negotiate with us. We have told the government what we want, we have bargain with the government based on their terms now it is the government who should listen to our demands and who should come to the table of agreement with us.” 

He warned, “Should the government not pay heed to our demands, then we will stage an indefinite agitation until our demands are met.”