MSSASA urges Govt to provide 70% reservation for SSA teachers in recruitment to fill up vacant posts

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaNovember 18, 2024

Meghalaya SSA Schools’ Association (MSSASA) has asserted the need for the state government to provide 70 percent reservation for SSA teachers in the recruitment process for filling up teacher vacant posts in the different schools across the state.

This was one of the eight suggestions submitted by the association during a meeting chaired by the Commissioner & Secretary in-charge Education Vijay Mantri on Monday, to discuss the grievances of SSA teachers in Meghalaya.

The meeting was also attended by members of the All Meghalaya SSA School Teachers Association (AMSSASTA) and Meghalaya Fourth Teachers’ Association.

It was also convened following the two-month ultimatum served by the MSSASA for the state government to come up with a policy to secure (or regularise) the services of over 13000 SSA teachers in the state.

“We have submitted eight suggestions to the state government for incorporating in its proposed policy to secure the services of the SSA teachers. These include the need for the government to amend the Meghalaya School Education Service Rules. On October 23, the state government has approved to relax the upper age limit for SSA teachers from 37 to 45 to allow them to apply for vacancies in government lower primary, upper primary and higher secondary schools. Apart from this, we also urged the government to provide reservation in terms of vacant posts. We proposed 70 percent reservation for in service SSA teachers and 30 percent through direct recruitment,” president of MSSASA Aristotle  Rymbai told reporters after the meeting.

He said that the association has also suggested the need to exempt SSA teachers, who joined services on or before August 23, 2010 or July 29, 2011 from appearing for Meghalaya Teachers’ Eligibility Test (MTET) examination. This is because a letter of the education department during the initial stage of implementation of the SSA programme had only stated that those having 10+2 passed are qualified to be SSA teachers.

“Moreover, we also proposed that the government should consider conducting a special teachers eligibility test (spl TET) for SSA teachers, who joined services after 2011. The government cannot mix us with the fresh candidates as it is totally not fair taking into account that the teachers have rendered their services for more than 20 to 25 years. If other states can conduct special TET exams for SSA teachers, then why not in our state of Meghalaya?” he said.

Also urging the government to maintain the pupil-teacher ratio, Rymbai said, “On August 6, 2021, a letter of GOI informing the cabinet committee on economic affairs which sat on August 4, 2021 approved to extend the SSA programme for 5 years from April 1 till 31 March 2026.  We discussed this issue today. If other states have come up with policies to secure the services of the SSA teachers, in Meghalaya also, it is high time for the government to come up with a policy to secure the services of the SSA teachers by considering the 8 points put forth by the MSSASA in the policy.”

“We also push the need that for SSA teachers, who are nearing retirement, government should come up with one time special package scheme since we have no pension,” he said while adding “We also urge the government to implement pay structure of SSA teachers and to enhance their salary as per the pay structure as per Meghalaya Service Revision of Pay Rules, 2018 – meaning initial basic pay and dearness allowances.”