Nagaland government to go ahead with committee despite RMSA teachers’ rejection—Yhome

KOHIMA — Advisor for School Education, Dr. Kekhrielhoulie Yhome, on Friday visited the agitating teachers for the first time since their protest began on September 8.

Members of the Nagaland RMSA Teachers’ Association–2016 have been staging an indefinite sit-in outside the Nagaland Civil Secretariat, demanding implementation of scale pay and other benefits as upheld by the court.

During his interaction with the protesters, Yhome appealed to the teachers to call off their agitation, assuring them of the government’s efforts to address the issue. The association, however, refused to relent and reiterated its demand.

Later, addressing a press conference at the Directorate of School Education, Kohima, Yhome said the government was moving ahead with the committee constituted on September 18, despite the teachers’ rejection of it.

Also read: RMSA 2016 teachers refute Nagaland government’s claim on committee proposal

“If they want to be part of it, it is totally up to them. But with or without them, the committee will go ahead because this committee will study the situation and ultimately come up with a solution,” he stated.

He added that the option of co-opting RMSA representatives into the committee had been extended but was declined by the association. The committee, headed by the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister and the Home Commissioner, is yet to hold its first sitting, and no timeline has been set for submitting a report.

While clarifying that there is no assurance from the government at this stage, Yhome said the matter requires intervention and the government would take it up. “Whether the solution is agreeable to the teachers or not is another thing, but I hope the government comes out with a report,” he remarked.

The advisor pointed out that the academic year has barely two months left for completion and appealed to the teachers to return to their schools. The RMSA teachers, however, have maintained that their protest will continue until their demand for scale pay is implemented.

 “What the teachers are asking is reasonable and requires meticulous understanding,” Yhome said, describing it as a service matter. He informed that a departmental-level committee is examining the issue on a case-by-case basis under existing regulations.

He further said that the court would ultimately give a direction on the pending review petition, but the government intends to implement necessary measures “with or without the court order.”

Yhome was accompanied by State Mission Director L Jamithung Lotha and Principal Director Shashank Pratap Singh.