At student groups’ intervention, striking teachers end agitation

Our Correspondent
Kohima, June 12 (EMN): After five days of sit-in protest and a hunger strike, the Nagaland Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Teachers’ Association (NSSATA) of 2010 and 2013 batch has suspended their latest agitation (third phase of agitation) on Tuesday evening.
The protest was suspended for thirty days till the first review meeting scheduled to be held on July 12 at 2.30 pm. The sit-in protest and hunger strike by some members was suspended after the intervention of the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) and Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF), who as mediators negotiated with government officials.
After more than two hours of meeting today, the negotiating team along with the association officials have come out with some proposals which were read out to the agitating teachers for approval. Subsequently, the proposals were accepted by the agitating teachers and signed by the parties concerned.
The agreement was made between the NSSATA and the school education department in presence of the representatives from NSF and ENSF.
In the agreement, the state government has agreed to pay the 7th ROP for the SSA teachers of 2010 and 2013 in line with the state NPS cadre, while the progress of the work will be reviewed on July 12 at 2.30 pm at the Principal Secretary’s chamber; and that the members of NSSATA will assist the department in the documentation.
The first review meeting scheduled on July 12 will be attended by members of NSF, ENSF and NSSATA central executive members and district representatives. The review meetings, the agreement read, will be continuous till the matter is permanently resolved.
The department will also rectify ‘the nature of appointment of SSA teachers of 2010 and 2013 batch basing on appointment order, RTI report, advertisement and other relevant documents’.
The document signed by Principal Secretary Menukhol John; NSSATA president, Penthungo Yanthan; NSF president, Kesosul Christopher Ltu; and ENSF vice president, Manpang Wangyen agreed that the department shall present the issues to the Cabinet before the 1st review meeting and that the PGT conversion order will not be issued until the nature of appointment of SSA teachers of 2010 and 2013 batch is rectified.
The School Education department will find a mechanism for timely release of salaries while efforts should be made to bring out a seniority list and the review meetings shall be inclusive of representatives from NSF, ENSF and NSSATA members.
“In view of the above stated agreement and conditions, the agitation will remain suspended till further notice,” stated the agreement.
Meanwhile the NSF president, Kesosul Christopher Ltu has appealed to the teachers to render their best survives and make an extra effort for their students as many school working days have been wasted and the students need to catch up with their syllabus.
He also reassured that ENSF and NSF will take up the issue if any discrepancies arise after the first review meeting and till such time the teachers were requested to resume their work for the welfare of the students and fulfil their obligations to the students.
The SSA teachers have earlier called for an indefinite sit-in protest on June 7 at the directorate of School Education, which was later shifted to the Secretariat. The teachers have been demanding that 7th ROP be granted to the teachers in line with the regular state employees; that the salaries of the SSA teachers (2010 and 2013) be paid from the state’s non-plan budget and also to release the pending salaries with 7th ROP entitlements.