Protest stage against decision of St Edmund’s College to terminate teacher

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 2, 2019

SHILLONG: The St Edmund’s College Unit of the Meghalaya College Teachers’ Association (MCTA) has decided to intensify agitations till all its demands which include the immediate reinstatement of Assistant Prof Jeffreyson Wahlang, are achieved.

The decision was taken at a protest backed by the MCTA central body and students’ fraternity held at the parking lot near the Additional Secretariat here on Tuesday, following the decision of the St Edmund’s College governing body to terminate Asst Prof Wahlang from the college.

It was alleged that Wahlang, a lecturer in the sociology department was terminated just because he was part of the MCTA’s black flag protest.

The protest was also taken part by past pupils of the college which include KHADC member from Rambrai-Jyrngam Bajop Pyngrope. Pyngrope has strongly condemned the action of the governing body and assured that his party (Congress) would take up the matter with the state government.

Speaking to reporters, executive member of the MCTA St Edmund’s College Unit, Prof FF Ropmay said, “We have decided to continue our protest for an indefinite period until all our demands are met.”

He said the association strongly demands the immediate reinstatement of Asst Prof Jeffreyson Wahlang since his termination was not as per standard procedure.

Stating that the protest against the college’s authority has been going for the past seven years, Prof Ropmay, who is a former member of the governing body, said that the constitution of the governing body in the college was illegal because it has no government representatives in it.

“Therefore, we demand that the present governing body should be dissolved and reconstituted as per the Meghalaya Deficit Aided College Management Rules, 2013,” he said adding “We also demand the college to withdraw the service rules, 2018 as it gives a blanket power to the governing body to exploit and suppress the teachers.”

The association also demanded the immediate removal of the governing body’s secretary Brother Simon Guelho and finance officer Julius Steljus.

He said the association has also been demanding the college to resolve the issue related to the college teachers’ post on pay fixation since there is no uniformity in the pay structure besides constitution of the students’ council in the college.

“We also demand the principal of the college Sylvester Lamare to resign from the post since he is acting as a puppet of the governing body,” Prof Ropmay said.

Earlier while speaking at the meeting held during the protest, MCTA central body president Dr BH Buam said it is a sad day in the history of Meghalaya that teachers are compelled to come out to the streets.

Condemning the highhandedness of the governing body, she said, “We will press for reinstatement of Asst Prof Jeffreyson Wahlang as the problem is like a cancerous and we need to cure it. It is not right just because Wahlang participate in the (activities) of the MTCA.”

She reminded the college authority that the teachers should be treated as assets and that it is the fundamental rights of the teachers’ fraternity to form association.

Asked, Dr Buam said that the association would also seek the intervention of the education minister Lahkmen Rymbui into the matter.