• SET teachers unpaid for 1+ year
• RMSA teachers unpaid for 6 months
• Hindi teachers unpaid for 5 months
• SAA teachers unpaid for 3 months
EMN
Dimapur, November 24
An organization representing school teachers in the state has blamed the state government of Nagaland for failing to see to the welfare of students due to the state’s apathy to the suffering of teachers who continue to make do without salary.
The All Nagaland School Teachers’ Association (ANSTA) said on Tuesday in a statement that the ‘Special Education Teachers’ under IEDSS have not been paid for the ‘past one year (and) five months (17 months), RMSA teachers are not paid for six months, Hindi Teachers for five months and SSA teachers for three months.’
The ANSTA issued a press release on Tuesday stating their case: Teachers have been reduced to becoming ‘beggars’ due to the Nagaland government’s failure to release their salaries on time.
“The teachers (any categories) whether CSS teachers or others have been appointed as per the requirement of state government. However, when one sees the mode of payment of salary to the teachers, the scenario is very bleak as many teachers are not being paid on regular basis,” the press statement from the organization stated.
For example, it stated, ‘Special Education Teachers’ under IEDSS have not been paid for the ‘past one year (and) five months (17 months), RMSA teachers are not paid for six months, Hindi Teachers for five months and SSA teachers for three months.’
“The reason why salary is not paid to the teachers is best known by the government because government is the appointing authority and teachers are normally appointed as per the availability of budget provision,” the ANSTA stated.
“The service of teacher is utilized in times of need but the wages of service being rendered is not paid which is a serious crime being committed by the concerned authorities of Christian state. The workers deserve to get wages is a universal truth and being mentioned several times in the Christian Bible,” the association explained.
The ANSTA said that the “hope/aspiration/moral” of many teachers have now been reduced to the lowest level owing to irregular payment of salary.
“Many hard working teachers are being made like a beggar due to non-release of their salaries by the government in time. The situation is worsen with the coming of festive seasons and ending academic session where expenditure naturally shoots up and all school related pending fees of the children needs be cleared (without which result will be with held),” the press release said.
Also, the association asserted that “insincerity of teachers is the talk of everyone and everywhere, however when the basic necessity (salary) of the teacher is not paid regularly, situation itself compels teachers to hunt for other means for survival leaving aside the school duties.”
Because salary is the only sustaining source for the teachers, the ANSTA stated, “If it is not paid on time then the very survival of the teachers is threatened.”
“When survival of an individual is jeopardized, situation compel him to act in contrary to his/her professional ethics though it is difficult to swallow.”
Iterating that the students were the primary concern and “centre of attraction for the teachers”, the association lamented that there have been “many occasions where government remains unresponsive/adamant to the genuine causes of the teachers thereby compelling teachers to resort to agitation/strike which in turn hampers academic activities sometime.”
In the same way, the ANSTA stated, if the pending salaries of the teachers are not released early, the association shall be left with no other option but resort to agitation ‘in the strongest term as deem fit.’
“In view of above stated grievances and situation, we appeals to government to take all possible measures to address the pending issues on top priority so as to release pending salaries without further delayed,” the press release stated.
