Our Correspondent
Kohima, June 27 (EMN): Although the contract or ‘ad hoc’ teachers under the banner of the All Nagaland Ad hoc Teachers’ Group had announced the suspension of their proposed indefinite hunger strike from June 27, it has resolved to continue with its sit-in protest at the directorate of School Education in Kohima.
The hunger strike was suspended following a closed-door meeting with officers from the education department on June 26, during which the authorities had assured to file an interlocutory application (IA) with the court to modify an interim order in favour of the ANATG’s batch of 2015, besides proposing grant of scale pay.
The decision to continue with the agitation in the form of the sit-in was taken at a meeting that was conducted on Wednesday morning. It was understood to continue until the department files the IA ‘to favour the ANATG-2015 batch’ and the court pronounces a verdict on it.
The ANATG’s President Rüguotsolie and Convenor Temsuchiba Aier cautioned in a statement that the group shall resume its suspended indefinite hunger strike should there be a delay in filing the application by the authorities.
The teachers have also rejected the proposal of ‘granting of scale pay’ before the regularization. They termed it ‘not a logical move’ when the sole demand of the contract teachers was regularisation of service.
The group demanded also that the Nagaland Cabinet convene a meeting and review their ‘agenda 42,’ which was deferred on Nov. 13 2017 and ‘immediately approve’ its demand for service regularization.
School Education denies offering anything in concrete to contract teachers
The department of School Education has on Wednesday denied offering anything specifically to the ad hoc teachers, except for the proposals to be discussed with the government during a proposed meeting.
The directorate clarified in a press release that the director was misquoted and that with the officials knowing the limitation on their part ‘did not offer anything in concrete.’ Likewise, the director was misquoted about offering pay scale, besides the issue of filing an IA by the government ‘in favour’ of the ANATG members in the court.
The press release appended by the director of school education, ANSTA president, and the president of NSEAOA stated: On June 26 at 2 pm, a meeting was convened at the directorate with ANSTA office bearers, NSEAOA officials from the directorate, and executive members of the ad hoc teachers.
The meeting was convened as an effort to resolve the issue, particularly the proposed hunger strike of the ANATG from June 27, it stated. The members suggested various means to resolve the problem in the best interest of all the employees, it was informed.
‘However, since the case is sub-judice, members advised them to seek legal opinion,’ the press release stated, and that a decision was taken to have a joint meeting with all ‘stakeholders,’ at the principal secretary's office at 9:30 am on June 27.
The proposed joint meeting, it stated was agreed upon by the ANATG too ‘who unfortunately did not turn up for discussion, and for which no discussion with the government could be taken up as desired.’
‘The DoSE hereby clarifies that in the meeting it has not made any offer regarding granting pay scale to ANATG 2015 batch as the issue is beyond its capacity. Regarding IA application submitted by ANATG to the director of School Education, the house had only resolved to forward it to the govt. on top priority for further action,’ the press release stated.
The School Education department has informed that a meeting has been scheduled. As directed during the state cabinet’s meeting on June 27, a note from Principal Director Smita Sarangi stated on Wednesday, a meeting has convened to be conducted in the official residence of Tongpang Ozukum, minister for PWD. The meeting is scheduled to be conducted from 7:30 am on June 28, it stated. The executive members of the ANATG-2015 are requested to attend the meeting.
