Meghalaya SSA Teachers threaten Government with Mass resignation

The Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) teachers who have been protesting for three days has threatened to tender mass resignation if the state education minister Lahkmen Rymbui fails to apologize for his anti-teacher protest statement by Thursday. 

The teachers under the banner of the Meghalaya SSA Schools Association (MSSASA) on Wednesday had taken strong cognizance when Rymbui had categorically stated that the government will take stern action to the extent of imposing no work, no pay, and withdrawing the grant to the school managing committees (SMCs) if the teachers do not return to the classrooms as students are being deprived of their rights to education.

Over 6,000 out of 12,541 SSA teachers have been sleeping on the streets for the past three days as part of their ongoing indefinite sit-in demonstration to protest against the government's failure to release their five months' pending salary.

Speaking to reporters, MSSASA president Aristotle C Rymbai said, “We want to send a clear message to Rymbui that he should immediately tender an apology by tomorrow (Thursday) else we will be compelled to go for mass resignation.”

Rymbai said that the teachers have not come out to the streets to celebrate but they were forced to sleep in the streets for the last three days due to the government’s indifferent attitude towards their demand for the immediate release of their five months’ pending salary.

“So please do not compel us to go for mass resignation because if all the 12,541 SSA teachers resign, the elementary education in Meghalaya will no doubt collapse,” he warned.

Rymbui said that the SSA teachers in Meghalaya for the last six months have been patient despite the lip service of the state government, especially the education minister but his statement today evening has hurt the sentiments of the teachers.

He added that the minister should understand the constitution of India to understand why the SSA teachers or anyone else would come to the streets to protest against any government.

“We have come to the streets to protest and demand our rights from the state government and our right to protest is empowered by the constitution of India,” said Rymbui.