Manipur schools hit by lecturers' pen-down strike

IMPHAL — The Lecturers' Association Manipur 2018 Batch's pen-down strike disrupted normal academic activities and classes in higher secondary schools across Manipur, especially in the state capital, on its first day on Monday.

The decision to launch the pen-down strike was taken during a recent meeting of the association pen-down over unpaid salaries, affecting 603 higher secondary school teachers. Tragically, three lecturers have died before their demands were met.

“We’re recruited as lecturers as per proper way in 2018 and regularised on January 8, 2022. The regular pay came into force from April 1, 2023,” a protesting lecturer Thokchom Ranjit Sindh said.

Authorities attributed the delay in salary release to an incomplete regularisation process, leaving lecturers still unpaid.

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“We are victimised several times. We’ve met concerned officials a number of times. Even during the ongoing President’s Rule we’ve met the Governor. But we’re not getting any positive response except the promise to wait,” he added and asked how long the teachers have to wait.

“Now, we’re demanding a positive response from the government within July 26 otherwise we’ll be launching various forms of agitations,” he further warned.

Meanwhile, students of TG Higher Secondary School, a premier girls’ school in Imphal, urged authorities to promptly resolve the lecturers' issues, expressing concern over the ongoing strike's impact on their education.