RMSA 2016 teachers’ indefinite protest enters 11th day in Kohima

KOHIMA — The indefinite protest launched by the Nagaland RMSA Teachers’ Association–2016 entered its eleventh day on Monday outside the Nagaland Civil Secretariat in Kohima, with no resolution in sight.

A fresh round of talks was held between the Commissioner and Secretary of School Education and the agitating teachers, but it ended without any breakthrough.

Association spokesperson Renbemo L Patton said the meeting yielded “no concrete outcome,” and confirmed that the agitation would continue.

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

The association, comprising 367 members, has been demanding scale pay and service benefits as upheld by the court. Since September 8, the teachers have been staging a sit-in.

Advisor for School Education, Dr. Kekhrielhoulie Yhome, met the protesters last Friday in an effort to defuse the standoff—his first visit since the agitation began.

While he appealed to the teachers to withdraw the agitation, assuring the government’s commitment to address their grievances, the protesting teachers refused to relent.

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

Recently, the state government constituted a committee headed by the principal secretary to the chief minister to review the matter and submit a report.

However, the association rejected the move, maintaining its stand on immediate implementation of court directives. The advisor has responded that the committee will go ahead with its task—with or without the protesting teacher’s participation or cooperation.