KOHIMA, AUGUST 3: Though Wednesday was a working day, many government primary schools under Kohima district observed the day as a holiday today (August 3) as the teachers skipped their classes to protest against the SDEO Kohima for deducting their salaries without their consent.
Over hundred primary teachers assembled at the SDEO office, Kohima, below Nagaland Secretariat, to press the SDEO Kohima, as to why he individually, at his own discretion, deducted the salary of those teachers who belonged to those government primary schools who had extended summer break beyond government order.
According to a teacher who wished not to be named, disclosed that some GPS under Kohima district had extended summer holidays, which led the SDEO to deduct their salaries. Though the government order for summer break for GPS was from June 16-30, it was learned that many GPS had extended summer holidays at their own discretion. As informed, some GPS had extra holidays for more than a week, and some even upto 10 days.
Though taking the responsibility for the extended summer holidays, the teachers who assembled at the SDEO office, charged the SDEO for transacting the deducted salaries to his personal account.“If he should serve us a penalty, then let there be transparency. But why should he deduct our salaries and transact it to his personal account. This is corruption at highest level,” one of the teachers said.
When asked if the deduction was based on daily wages (according to the number of holidays), the teachers disclosed that there was no such system. It was informed that the deduction of some GPS went up to 66,000, some 46,000. Many schools suffered because the SDEO deducted the salary at his own discretion, it was learned.
The teachers, though stating that the SDEO has the right to question the teachers for the extended summer holidays, questioned his intention and transparency.
As the teachers assembled in big number, and the situation garnered the attention of the general public, one of the teachers said, the SDEO Kohima in front of their representatives assured to reimburse the deducted salaries of the teachers. The deduction affected only those schools that had extended summer holidays, it informed.
